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