Connor Joe Is Back in the Bigs — And the Mariners Are Betting on a Comeback

The Seattle Mariners made a pair of roster moves Wednesday that signal both urgency and patience — two qualities this team needs as it fights for traction in a crowded AL West.

Utility man Connor Joe has been recalled from Triple-A Tacoma, while outfielder Curtis Johnson Jr. was optioned to High-A Everett. The moves come on the heels of Cal Raleigh’s return to the lineup, giving the Mariners a slightly more seasoned bench as they prepare to face the Baltimore Orioles.

Joe, 33, is no stranger to the clubhouse. He’s already logged 18 games with Seattle this season, collecting six hits, two runs, and three RBIs. His big-league numbers are modest — a .182 batting average — but with Tacoma, he’s been significantly more productive, slashing .242 with two homers, seven doubles, and nine RBIs. The Mariners are hoping the veteran can carry that momentum back to the majors.

For Joe, this is the latest chapter in a career that’s taken him across baseball. He broke in with the San Francisco Giants in 2019, opted out of the 2020 season during the pandemic, then landed with the Colorado Rockies for two years. His best stretch came with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2023, when he racked up 102 hits and launched 20 homers over two seasons. He split 2025 between the Cincinnati Reds and San Diego Padres before landing back in Seattle.

The Mariners are Joe’s sixth MLB stop. He’s been a journeyman in the truest sense — always competent, occasionally dangerous at the plate, and valuable for his positional flexibility. Whether that translates into consistent playing time remains to be seen.

For Johnson Jr., the move is a step back but hardly a setback. Drafted by Seattle in 2022, the outfielder showed pop in Everett this season with seven home runs. He also spent time with the Single-A Modesto Nuts in Central California. The Mariners clearly see potential — they just want him to refine it before throwing him into the fire.

These roster tweaks don’t scream headlines, but they tell a story about how a team balances present needs with future growth. Joe gives the lineup a steady hand. Johnson gives the org a development project. And for now, that’s the kind of depth Seattle is leaning on.