Jul 30, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; A general view of a Los Angeles Dodgers hat and glove during the second inning in the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Mariners Announce Dodgers Trade As Aggressive Night Continues

Originally posted on Fastball on SI | By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Nov 16, 2025 10:40 PM ET

The 2025 Major League Baseball offseason is still young, but the Seattle Mariners are getting aggressive.

On Sunday night, reports surfaced -- starting with ESPN's Jeff Passan -- indicating that the Mariners will be reuniting with first baseman Josh Naylor on a five-year deal in free agency. The Mariners haven't officially announced the trade yet, but the official Mariners X account did take to social media and post a trident emoji with the reports swirling.

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— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) November 17, 2025

It's early to get a massive deal like this done, but Seattle didn't stop there. The Mariners announced a depth move as well on Sunday night as they acquired left-handed pitcher Robinson Ortiz from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for minor league right-handed pitcher Tyler Gough.

It was a busy day for the Mariners

"Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Justin Hollander announced today the Mariners have acquired left-handed pitcher Robinson Ortiz from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for minor league right-handed pitcher Tyler Gough," the Mariners announced. "The Mariners 40-man roster is now at 39 players.

"Ortiz, 25, finished the 2025 season with the Triple-A Oklahoma City Comets after also spending parts of the season with the Dodgers High-A and Double-A affiliates. In 15 appearances (1 start) with the Comets, he went 1-0 with a 2.76 ERA (5 ER, 16.1 IP) with 9 walks and 14 strikeouts. Across 48 minor league appearances (1 start) in 2025, Ortiz was 5-2 with a 3.19 ERA (18 ER, 59.1 IP) with 33 walks and 72 strikeouts. The 6-foot, 180-pound lefty has appeared in parts of 6 minor league seasons in the Dodgers organization (2017-19, ’21, ’24-25), during which he has posted a career 17-12 record and 3.48 ERA (92 ER, 238.0 IP) with 109 walks and 238 strikeouts."

Ortiz may not be a household name, but he's coming off a solid season done in the minors for the two-time World Series champs. He had a 2.73 overall ERA in 48 appearances. In Triple-A, he had a 2.76 ERA in 15 appearances.

This is the type of move that will be overshadowed by the reported re-signing of Naylor. That makes sense. But, this is also the type of low-stakes trade that could have a positive impact on the team. He's 25 years old and is right on the doorstep of the big leagues. If he can carry the performance he had in the minors to the big leagues in 2026, that could help an already solid Mariners bullpen.

Seattle had the ninth-ranked bullpen ERA in baseball in 2025 at 3.72. If Ortiz can impress in Spring Training, maybe he can be a part of this group. If not, then he'll have the chance to continue developing down in the minors. A win-win deal. Also, just another sign that the Mariners aren't messing around this offseason.

More MLB: Instant Impact Of Mariners-Josh Naylor Reported 5-Year Deal

This article first appeared on Fastball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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