Mariners Acquire Lefty Reliever Caleb Ferguson From Pirates
By Jeffrey Nooney, edited by Charles Hamaker
Seattle, WA - Our Seattle Mariners have made their second trade before the July 31st MLB trade deadline, acquiring left-handed reliever Caleb Ferguson from the Pittsburgh Pirates. In exchange for Ferguson, the Mariners are sending pitching prospect Jeter Martinez, the 13th ranked prospect in their farm system according to MLB Pipeline, to the Pirates. Ferguson, a 29-year-old reliever, has spent all of the 2025 season with Pittsburgh after signing a one year, three million dollar contract in the offseason. He came up with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2018 and was with them through the 2023 season, helping win the 2020 World Series with the ballclub, before being traded to the New York Yankees ahead of the 2024 campaign. At last year’s deadline, He was traded to the Houston Astros.
Ferguson has had a good start to his 2025 campaign with the Pirates. He has pitched in 45 games this season, and in his 43.1 innings of work, he’s posted a 3.74 ERA (3.14 FIP), 1.08 WHIP and strikes out batters at a 7.1% clip (far below his career K/9 of 10.3). While his strikeout numbers are down this season, he has been elite at limiting hard contact. According to baseball savant, Ferguson is in the 100th percentile in hard hit percentage (25.2%).
With the addition of Ferguson, Seattle now has two left-handed relievers in their bullpen. Gabe Speier has spent the majority of the season as the teams lone southpaw, with a few appearances from Tayler Saucedo before he was optioned back to AAA Tacoma where he’s spent the majority of 2025. Speier has had a solid bounce back season for the Mariners, as in his 39.1 innings of work hehas pitched to a 2.52 ERA (2.69 FIP), a 0.99 WHIP and has struck out nearly 12 batters per nine innings. Dan Wilson now has options on when to deploy a left handed reliever, as he has been often saving Speier for higher leverage situations. Ferguson can be used in a variety of ways moving forward.
What’s next?
There’s still reason to believe that the Mariners will be working to acquire another bullpen arm in addition to their pursuit of a reunion with third baseman Eugenio Suárez. According to multiple reporters, Seattle had at least talked with the Twins on a deal that could’ve brought in closer Jhoan Duran, but the Philadelphia Phillies ultimately beat them out for the hurler. Duran has been an elite reliever throughout his entire career, so adding him to a back end that includes Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz was an enticing idea that Seattle pursued heavily before ultimately failing to land. There are still a few names out there in terms of back end relievers that could be moved prior to the deadline, as bullpen faces like Pittsburgh’s David Bednar (and teammate Dennis Santana), Washington’s Kyle Finnegan, Miami’s Anthony Bender, Atlanta’s Raisel Iglesias, Minnesota’s Danny Coulombe and St. Louis’ Phil Maton are all likely to be dealt before the clock strikes on the deadline. Look for the Mariners to be active, as they remain in discussions for Suárez and the possibility of more out there.
With less than 24 hours until the deadline, stay connected with Circling Seattle Sports for all of your Mariners trade news.
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