Josh Simpson Finally Gets His Shot With the Mariners, and He's Not Wasting It

It's been a wild month for Josh Simpson. The 28-year-old lefty from Connecticut got called up to the Seattle Mariners on May 1, sent back down a day later without throwing a pitch, then brought back up on May 4. Talk about a roller coaster. But on Friday night against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field, Simpson made his Mariners debut and did exactly what you want a relief pitcher to do: he got outs when it mattered. The M's won 12-8, and Simpson picked up a save by getting the final three outs despite allowing a solo home run to Randal Grichuk.

The Long Road to Seattle

This is Simpson's second crack at the majors. He was drafted by Miami in the 32nd round back in 2019 and spent four seasons grinding through the minors, appearing in 110 games. He finally got the call in September 2023 but didn't pitch for the Marlins that year. He had elbow issues in early 2024 that required surgery to repair the ulnar nerve in April, which meant a lengthy rehab assignment before he could pitch again.

Simpson didn't get real traction until last year. He started 2025 in Jacksonville before being recalled to Miami on June 21, and five days later, he recorded his first Major League win against the San Francisco Giants. He finished 2025 at 4-2 with a 7.34 ERA over 30.2 innings, walking 22 while striking out 36.

Bringing Him to T-Mobile Park

The Mariners acquired Simpson from the Marlins on February 16 for cash considerations. He spent time in the organization before being sent to Triple-A Tacoma, where he was absolutely dominant: 0.91 ERA over 9.1 innings with 12 strikeouts in nine appearances.

After his Friday success, Simpson took the mound Saturday in the fifth inning but gave up a solo home run to Miguel Vargas in a 6-1 loss. As of Monday morning, he remained with the team as the Mariners gear up for a four-game series against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park.

Seattle is 19-22 and sitting 2.5 games behind the first-place Athletics in the AL West. With games coming up against the Yankees in August and a trip to Fenway Park to face the Red Sox later in the season, Simpson's ability to eat innings in the bullpen could be crucial. He's got his chance. Now he's got to keep proving he belongs.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.