Veteran outfielder Connor Joe is joining the Mariners, the team announced. He’ll replace Victor Robles, who’s heading to the injured list with a pectoral strain. Right-hander Carlos Vargas was shifted to the 60-day IL to clear a 40-man spot for Joe. Vargas went down with a lat strain in late March.
Joe joined the organization on a minor league deal in February. He was tremendous in MLB Spring Training, slashing .340/.411/.560 over 20 games, but fell short of a big-league roster spot. Joe spent a couple of weeks with the Padres in 2025. He went hitless in 10 plate appearances. The veteran was traded to the Reds in May. He hit .213 in 35 games with Cincinnati.
The 33-year-old Joe will provide some defensive flexibility off the bench for the Mariners. He spent time at all three outfield spots and first base with the Reds. Joe graded out as a neutral defender by Defensive Runs Saved last year. He’s likely overextended as a center fielder, but should be able to contribute on the corners.
After a couple of seasons in Colorado, Joe showed he wasn’t just a product of Coors Field, posting a 106 wRC+ with the Pirates in 2023. He earned regular playing time with the club the following year, but his production slipped below league-average levels. Seattle already has a right-handed bench outfielder in Rob Refsnyder. Joe could factor in at first base against lefties when Josh Naylor needs a day off.
Robles had been limited to part-time work with Luke Raley and Dominic Canzone both off to decent starts. He was injured during a pregame workout on Tuesday, per Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times. A dislocated shoulder limited Robles to just 32 games in 2025.
Photo courtesy of Rick Scuteri, Imagn Images
🎶Where did you come from, where did you go? Where did you come from, Conor Joe?🎶
Him over Wisdom is a terrible choice for a bench bat add a pinch hitter who can actually hit.
Not a terrible choice because they needed an outfielder who hits RH, not a DH who kinda sorta can play 1B. Refsnyder is awful in the field. The question is: could Raley play every day, even against lefties, and is that better or worse than Connor Joe?
I take it all back. Joe is playing 1B today. Refsnyder in RF (made an Adell). Joe has already made an error that cost two runs. Wisdom could have done that. This I don’t get.
Absolutely not. I know wisdom is raking in the minors, but he doesn’t fit what they need at the moment at all. They need to fill Robles spot with another RH outfielder. They already have Garver and Refsnyder on the bench as righty pinch hitting bats, adding wisdom would not help, it would just limit the options available with very little benefit. Wisdom will likely only come up if there is an injury to Refsnyder, Raley, Naylor, or Garver
Connor Joe? Is that guy still around? And if you’re hoping for an improvement( Which shouldn’t be hard BTW) Looking to Wisdom for improvement is like going good news I don’t have ALS it’s just cancer.
Connor Joe and Patrick Wisdom are interchangeable to me in that they’re both bad at hitting MLB pitching right now, but at least Mr. Joe can stand there in RF sometimes.
He’s coming up as the RHB OF platoon partner. He’s a better choice than Wisdom for that.
I hope the Mariners don’t play him as much as they planned to play Robles just because he’s filling the roster spot.
I’d rather see Canzone get some PAs against lefties.
Joe gives me major Tommy Pham vibes.
One of those guys who just refuses to go away. Just keeps turning minor league deals and low-guarantee contracts into legit big league production. Always feels like he’s fighting for a roster spot, even though he’s consistently more useful than your fanbase’s favorite not-quite-ready prospect.
I’ll always root for guys like this
“Always feels like he’s fighting for a roster spot…”
Well one difference is thats not literal. Joe hasn’t been linked to “hockey enforcer” behavior. lol
I agree. These types are better than your bottom of the roster filler guys yet not good enough to guarantee a job and consistent playing time. Nothing wrong with a player comfortable with their role.
You are right about your post. But in all honesty Joe isn’t anywhere close to Pham.
Pham could put up league average stats though.
come on Ref!! you can do it
Connor Joe is also a cancer survivor
He always seemed to play hard while watching him on the Pirates.
Robles has done next to nothing for the M’s. Too many injuries.
We just head a manager and a hitting coach now.
If you meant need a manager you are either trolling or not paying attention. Wilson is doing pretty well for a new manager. The hitting coach comment is just trolling.
You can have the best teacher in the world and if the students are eating the books not much he can do. The team played well under both last year and will so this year. A slow start yes but they will get going too early to panic.
Wilson is not an MLB manager, apparently you missed most of last season?
So says you. He got us to 1 game from being in the WS. Many coaches have long careers and never get that close. Also he had little to no experience. I don’t like every move but for the most part he is fine.
“Likely overstretched in CF” is one of the funniest things I’ve read here in a long time
If Joe can’t hit, I’m sure he’ll be DFA when Robles gets back.
He may be DFA when Colt come up.
Conner eye joe