In early December, the Seattle Mariners made a notable offseason move. The team traded their 2021 first-round draft pick Harry Ford along with right-hander Issac Lyon, to the Washington Nationals in exchange for left-handed reliever Jose A. Ferrer. The deal saw Seattle address an immediate need for bullpen depth from the left side while also fulfilling the long-desired acquisition of Ferrer.
While the trade may have come as a surprise to some, the Mariners believe in Ferrer’s impact, while fulfilling a hole in their roster. In the wake of the trade, Ferrer has already been labeled Seattle’s 2026 breakout candidate. This designation recognizes his recent performance with the Nationals while reflecting confidence in his future with Seattle.
Jose A. Ferrer’s Career So Far
Last season, Ferrer emerged as Washington’s primary closer over the final two months of 2025 following their trade of Kyle Finnegan at the Trade Deadline. During that stretch he recorded 11 saves while posting a 4.48 ERA.
Although his ERA isn’t the best, Ferrer’s underlying metrics are much more optimistic. Per StatCast, he ranked in the 94th percentile in fastball velocity with an average of 97.7 mph, placing him among the hardest-throwing relievers in baseball. Even more impressive is how well he controls his velocity. Ferrer finished in the 95th percentile in walk rate (4.9%), a rare combination for a power arm to have.
Ferrer is also known for his heavy sinker. It consistently generates ground balls due to weak contact, especially against left-handed hitters, allowing him to rely on more than just strikeouts.
Following the trade, Mariners general manager Justin Hollander was optimistic about Ferrer and his future with the organization.
“What stands out for him,” Hollander said, “is usually when you’re talking about that stuff set, you’re talking about having to rein it in to throw strikes — and he just fills the zone up with strikes, particularly the sinker. He throttles lefties. We think that the sort of surface stuff really does a disservice to how good he actually is today and how good he could be in the future.”
What He Can Do In Seattle
The Mariner’s first targeted Ferrer back in 2019. He was 19 years old and pitching at the rookie level. He remained on their radar ever since, climbing through the National’s system during that time.
Of the trade, Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto highlighted just how long of a wait it’s been.
“We feel like we got the No. 1 trade target on our list,” Dipoto said. “Like, this was the guy that, if we could dream the dream, who would you want to acquire? This was the guy we were looking to acquire.”
Acquiring Ferrer fulfilled one of the Mariner’s top priorities heading into the 2026 season. The team has lacked consistent left-handed power arms in late-inning situations. Ferrer immediately fills that role alongside Gabe Speier.
If Ferrer’s underlying metrics translate as expected, the Mariners may have acquired an impactful bullpen arm for the 2026 season. For a team with postseason dreams, that kind of breakout could make all the difference.
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