The Mariners added another left-handed bullpen option on September 1, 2026, signing Hoby Milner to a minor league deal and selecting him to the major league roster as part of their September call-up transactions.
Seattle announced the move at 1:06pm CDT, bringing Milner in after his release by the Cubs following a two-month absence tied to appendicitis. The 35-year-old joins a Mariners bullpen that has struggled in the second half, a stretch that helped make the addition more urgent.
Why Milner matters for Seattle
Milner gives Seattle a different look out of the bullpen. The left-hander has relied on command and movement more than pure velocity, with his fastball sitting around 87 mph, but he has still found ways to get big league hitters out across seven MLB seasons and six clubs.
Before joining the Mariners, Milner posted a 3.53 ERA in 35 2/3 innings. He had also worked 61 frames across 21 big league appearances last season, and his career line of.238/.332/.382 against him shows the kind of contact he has generally allowed. He also has eight home runs allowed in the major leagues.
For Seattle, the timing matters. The Mariners entered the day five straight losses into a skid, 10 games under.500 and 5.5 games out, while carrying a second-half bullpen ERA of 6.38. Adding a veteran lefty gives Dan Wilson another option for matchups down the stretch.
Roster ripple effects
Milner’s arrival came alongside a pair of roster cuts. Seattle designated Connor Joe and Nolan Kingham for assignment, with Kingham having previously been acquired on waivers from the Rangers and optioned to Triple-A Tacoma.
That makes Milner’s path clear for now: he is on the big league roster because the Mariners need immediate bullpen help. If he can provide stable innings, Seattle will get exactly what it was looking for in a late-season depth move.
