Pirates Trade Left-Handed Reliever to Mariners
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have traded their best left-handed bullpen arm ahead of the deadline.
Mark Feinsand of the MLB.com reported that the Pirates traded left-handed relief pitcher Caleb Ferguson to the Seattle Mariners. Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com reported the Mariners are sending back right-handed pitching prospect Jeter Martinez, who MLB Pipeline ranks as their 13th best prospect.
The Pirates are getting P Jeter Martinez in return for Ferguson https://t.co/raVxQ6qOxT
— Jonathan Mayo (@JonathanMayo) July 30, 2025
Ferguson signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Pirates on Jan. 10 and made the MLB roster for Opening Day.
He served as a crucial part of the Pirates bullpen, one of their main set-up relievers and had a great season in 2025.
Ferguson had a 2-2 record in 45 appearances, a 3.74 ERA over 43.1 innings pitched, 34 strikeouts to 14 walks, a .214 opposing batting average and a 1.08 WHIP with the Pirates.
He also posted 35 scoreless outings for the Pirates and was the only relief pitcher on the team from Opening Day that didn't miss time with suspension or injury.
Ferguson hails from Columbus, Ohio and was born on July 2, 1996. He attended West Jefferson High School in West Jefferson, Ohio, about 15-20 miles west of Columbus.
He underwent Tommy John surgery as a senior in 2014, but the Los Angeles Dodgers still took him in the 38th round of the 2014 MLB Draft. He signed with the Dodgers, forgoing his commitment to West Virginia.
Ferguson made his professional debut in 2015 and eventually made it up to the MLB in 2018, making his debut on June 6 against the Pirates. He made the start that day, giving up four earned runs over 1.2 innings pitched.
He still had a strong rookie season, with a 7-2 record in 39 appearances, a 3.49 ERA over 49.0 innings pitched and 59 strikeouts to 12 walks. He made six appearances in the postseason, with no runs allowed in three innings pitched, but didn't make the World Series roster.
Ferguson continued pitching for the Dodgers, but suffered damage to his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in September 2020, resulting in him undergoing Tommy John surgery for the second time in his life. He would miss the 2020 postseason and the World Series, which the Dodgers won in six games over the Tampa Bay Rays.
He pitched two more seasons for the Dodgers in 2022 and 2023, before they traded him to the New York Yankees on Feb. 5, 2024. He finished with an 18-9 record in 201 appearances for the franchise, a 3.43 ERA over 207.1 innings pitched, 247 strikeouts to 82 walks and a 1.29 WHIP.
Ferguson struggled with the Yankees, with a 1-3 record in 42 outings, a 5.13 ERA over 33.1 innings pitched, before they traded him to the Houston Astros on July 30.
He finished with a 3.86 ERA over 20 appearance and 21.0 innings pitched with the Astros and made one appearance in the postseason before electing free agency after the season.
The Pirates have made two trades in July ahead of the deadline. This includes sending utilityman Adam Frazier to the Kansas City Royals on July 16 and third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes to the Cincinnati Reds on July 30.
Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.