The Mariners strengthened their bullpen depth by adding veteran reliever Scott Effross on a minor league deal.
The Seattle Mariners on Wednesday signed right-handed reliever Scott Effross to a minor league contract, with the 32-year-old reporting to the organization’s Triple-A affiliate in Tacoma. The move gives Seattle additional organizational depth as Effross attempts to return to the major leagues for a fifth season.
Effross began 2026 under a minor league deal with the Detroit Tigers after attending their spring training camp as a non-roster invitee. He made 27 appearances for Triple-A Toledo, covering 36 1/3 innings while posting a 4.46 ERA. He struck out 16% of opposing hitters and produced a 42% ground-ball rate. The Tigers released him last week, opening the door for his move to the Marinera.
Effross has made 88 career MLB appearances dating back to 2021. His best season came as a rookie with the Chicago Cubs in 2022, when the New York Yankees acquired him at the trade deadline in a deal that sent then-prospect Hayden Wesneski to the Cubs.
Effross subsequently underwent Tommy John surgery, costing him the 2023 season. His injury history also includes back surgery during the 2023-24 offseason and a left hamstring strain that kept him out for the first six weeks of last season. He eventually threw 10 2/3 MLB innings in an up-and-down bullpen role before the Yankees non-tendered him.
Seattle’s bullpen ranks 11th in ERA and 13th in strikeout rate. The unit has accumulated a 5.02 ERA over the last month amid a rise in home runs, while Cole Wilcox recently suffered an oblique strain. Effross now has an opportunity to compete for one of two or three middle-relief spots with the Mariners.
The Seattle Mariners on Wednesday signed right-handed reliever Scott Effross to a minor league contract, with the 32-year-old reporting to the organization’s Triple-A affiliate in Tacoma. The move gives Seattle additional organizational depth as Effross attempts to return to the major leagues for a fifth season.
