Seattle Mariners outfielder Victor Robles returns from the injured list prior to Friday’s game against the Kansas City Royals. Robles remained on the injured list since April 8th with a right pec strain. He’s only appeared in 5 games this season for the Mariners, where he batted .231/.231/.308 in 13 plate appearances.
Connor Joe optioned to Tacoma.
However, in AAA Tacoma, Robles showed positive signs at the plate, batting .256/.389/.349 with 4 doubles and 2 stolen bases. Once he arrived in Seattle in 2024, Robles is 37/40 in stolen base attempts with the Mariners. That 2024 season still fondly remains in the minds of Mariners fans: .307/.381/.433 with four home runs and 34 stolen bases.
Robles dealt with injury issues for most of the 2025 season last year after dislocating his arm from an incredible diving catch. He missed 119 games and only returned later in the season. Robles struggled last year, batting .245/.281/.330 with only one home run and six stolen bases.
Seattle Mariners Outfielder Return Sends Contributor Down to AAA
GettyThe Seattle Mariners sent down Connor Joe to AAA Tacoma as an additional move.
In a subsequent move, the Seattle Mariners sent down Connor Joe to AAA Tacoma after being with the Mariners for a few weeks. The Mariners gave Joe a limited role while in Seattle, where he only faced off against left-handed pitching. He also gave Josh Naylor an occasional day off. He batted .182/.308/.333 across 18 games and 39 plate appearances. Despite owning a weight on base average of .297, his expected weighted on base average sits at .369, indicating some bad luck amid hard contact.
Perhaps Joe can return to the Mariners later in the season and provide some additional power if needed. With Rob Refsnyder and Mitch Garver also on the roster, the Mariners seemed to preferred to use those options instead in some left-handed matchups. However, Refsnyder and Garver continue to struggle for the Mariners.
Refsnyder bats .106/.173/.197 with two home runs while in a platoon role. Despite the Mariners giving him a one year $6.5 million contract, eventually something will have to give. Refsnyder has an fWAR of -0.8 to begin the season. Maybe when Brendan Donovan returns from the injured list, the Seattle Mariners will cut ties with Refsnyder. The team also has former top prospect Brennen Davis raking in AAA.
Garver bats .155/.329/.224 with one home run. With Cal Raleigh now out with an injury, expect Garver to remain on the roster for the time being. When Raleigh returns, perhaps Jhonny Pereda, who looks competent in a small sample can claim the backup catcher role over Garver.
Mariners Begin Pivotal Road Trip to End the Month of May
GettyAt 24-27, the Mariners still have yet to hit their stride this season, making this road trip extremely important.
With the return of Mariners outfielder Robles, Seattle now sets off on a critical road trip to end the month of May. First, the team faces off against the Kansas City Royals again, who swept the Mariners in Seattle just a few weeks ago. The Royals sit at 20-30 in the AL Central.
Next, the Mariners go to Sacramento to battle the Athletics, the current division leader in the AL West. The Mariners lost their first series to the A’s in Seattle 1-2. However, despite being 26-24, the A’s only have a 2.5 game lead over the Mariners. Perhaps the AL West could have a new leader after that series.
Seattle Mariners Outfielder Returns to Begin Key Roadtrip