Mariners trade for minor league reliever, DFA Saucedo
Nov 18, 2025, 4:38 PM
The Seattle Mariners acquired minor league relief pitcher Alex Hoppe from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for minor league catcher Luke Heyman, the club announced Tuesday.
The Mariners selected Hoppe to their 40-man roster. In a corresponding move, they designated 32-year-old left-handed reliever Tayler Saucedo for assignment.
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Hoppe, a 26-year-old right-hander, was a sixth-round draft pick by the Red Sox in 2022. He spent three seasons in Boston’s farm system, posting a 4.76 ERA and 1.59 WHIP with 203 strikeouts across 176 innings.
Hoppe began this past season at Double-A Portland before earning a mid-May promotion to Triple-A Worcester, where he spent the rest of the year. He recorded a 4.76 ERA and 1.52 WHIP in 37 appearances for Worcester, with 56 strikeouts in 45 1/3 innings.
Heyman, 22, was a 14th-round draft pick by Seattle in July. The 6-foot-4 catcher has yet to make his pro debut. He batted .301 with 13 home runs and a .975 OPS in 49 games with the University of Florida this spring before suffering a season-ending injury.
Saucedo, a local product who attended Tahoma High School in Maple Valley, spent three seasons with the Mariners.
The 6-foot-4 lefty posted a combined 3.54 ERA across 105 relief appearances with Seattle in 2023 and 2024, but struggled this past season after missing about two months with a strained left lat. He made just 10 appearances for the Mariners this year, allowing 11 earned runs in 13 1/3 innings. He also spent a good chunk of 2025 in Triple-A Tacoma, where he posted a 2.75 ERA in 22 appearances.
Seattle initially claimed Saucedo off waivers from the New York Mets in January 2023. He has made 148 relief appearances across five MLB seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays and Mariners.
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