Mariners Open to Reuniting with Mitch Garver
But here's where it gets controversial: the Mariners are reportedly open to bringing back Mitch Garver, months after trading catcher Harry Ford to the Nationals for left-handed reliever Jose Ferrer. Adam Jude of the Seattle Times notes the team’s interest in a Garver reunion, re-entering the free-agent market with a familiar veteran at a budget-conscious price.
Garver is nearing 35 and just completed the final season of a two-year, $24 million contract that was signed in December 2023. At the time, Seattle envisioned him as a primary designated hitter and a backup behind the plate to Cal Raleigh. Offensively, Garver didn’t meet those expectations in 2024–25, posting an 88 wRC+ over 720 plate appearances across 2024 and 2025. The contract included a $12 million mutual option for 2026, which the Mariners declined last month, instead paying Garver a $1 million buyout and unlocking free agency.
In 2025 Garver hit .209/.297/.343 with an 86 wRC+ over 290 plate appearances in 87 games. He trimmed his strikeout rate somewhat—from 30.9% to 27.6%—and his walk rate slipped slightly from 12.3% to 10.3%. His production mirrored 2024, when he posted an 89 wRC+ in 430 plate appearances. While that level of output can be acceptable for a backup catcher, it falls short of the bat-first profile Seattle anticipated when Garver signed, especially after his strong 2023 season with the Rangers, which featured a 142 wRC+ and 19 homers.
Defensively, Garver started 42 games behind the plate in 2025, logging 376 2/3 innings. Cal Raleigh delivered 2 Defensive Runs Saved and ranked among the top framers at his position, while Garver posted a -6 DRS and was viewed as a below-average framer. Statcast also flagged negative marks on Garver’s blocking and caught-stealing metrics, with an average pop time in the bottom quartile. In truth, Garver has never been a standout defender, and his last positive DRS rating came in the COVID-shortened 2020 season. It’s unlikely his defense will dramatically improve as he ages.
On the offensive side, there are encouraging indicators. Garver posted a hard-hit rate of 46.9% in 2025, well above the league average of 40.9%. His average exit velocity rose to 91.5 mph from 89.9 mph in 2024. The key for Garver going forward is performance against four-seam fastballs. He logged a 163 wRC+ against four-seamers in 2024, but just a 77 wRC+ against them in 2025. Some natural decline is expected with age, yet his track record suggests there could be positive regression with the right adjustments.
A cost-efficient reunion could make sense for Seattle. With Ford traded to Washington and Luke Stevenson and Josh Caron still at Single-A, the club lacks a clear backup behind Raleigh at the majors. Since the mutual option was declined, a one-year deal in the $6–8 million range would be a reasonable bet to fill the role. Currently, RosterResource projects the Mariners’ payroll at about $151 million for 2026, leaving roughly $15 million of flexibility before they hit their 2025 spending level.
Photo by Dan Hamilton, Imagn Images
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