Amid a transaction-filled day across Major League Baseball, the Seattle Mariners acquired reliever Alex Hoppe from the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday. In exchange, they traded away catcher Luke Heyman. Several deals were made around baseball as team's sought to protect players from the Rule-5 Draft and get their 40-man rosters in order.

About Hoppe

Now 26 years old, Hoppe was a sixth-round pick of the Red Sox in the 2022 MLB Draft. He played his college ball at UNC Greensboro. In 44 appearances in 2025, mostly at Triple-A, Hoppe went 1-3 with a 4.55 ERA and six saves. He struck out 73 batters in 61.1 innings, but he also walked 34.

What they're saying

The following comes from Joe Doyle of Over Slot Baseball, who is also a frequent guest on the 'Refuse to Lose' podcast:

Very interesting arm. Leverage stuff.

Walks/command have slowed his ascent, but stuff is very unique. Bugs bunny changeup dances and jets off a high slot. 4S has snagged 100, low-to-mid 90s cutter gets whiffs, harder bullet slider compliments arsenal, but command leaves it open to damage.

I would presume Seattle is going to want to get Hoppe throwing the changeup at a heavier clip.

Could end up throwing in big spots.

How could Hoppe fit? 

It's unclear if he'll start in the major league bullpen for Seattle, but it is a bullpen with some apparent openings.

Andres Munoz, Matt Brash, Gabe Speier and Eduard Bazardo would figure to have prominent roles once again, and Carlos Vargas seems capable of holding down a swing role again. The other three spots? Seattle would likely want to get one more lefty in, and then they can draw from a collection of interesting arms, including former trade acquisition Gregory Santos and youngster Troy Taylor.

About Heyman

He was drafted in the 14th round of the 2025 draft out of Florida and did not play after getting drafted. The Mariners have Cal Raleigh entrenched at the MLB-level and also have top prospect Harry Ford in the fold.

Seattle drafted Luke Stevenson out of North Carolina in the second round of the 2025 Draft, so perhaps they feel confident in their system-wide catching depth.

Other news and notes

The biggest news of the day is the Mariners signing Josh Naylor to a five-year, $92.5 million contract. He was officially introduced on Tuesday at T-Mobile Park, and our own Teren Kowatsch had live coverage here.

Seattle Mariners Executives, Josh Naylor Discuss New Deal Justin Hollander, Jerry Dipoto and Naylor formally discussed the latter's five-year, $92.5 million contract that will keep the first baseman in Seattle through 2030.

Related Mariners Stories

LATEST PODCAST IS OUT: Brady Farkas is back for the the latest episode of the Refuse to Lose podcast! He covers the Josh Naylor news from every angle including the message it sends to the clubhouse and fanbase. Also, what's next for Seattle? LISTEN HERE:

DON'T YA KNOW: Former Mariners infielder Robinson Cano played his final game in the United States on Saturday in an emotional sendoff. CLICK HERE: 

RUNNING IT BACK? If the Mariners are going to 'run it back' in 2026, let's hope it's for the right reasons. CLICK HERE: 

Join the Conversation

Remember to join our MARINERS on ROUNDTABLE community, which is FREE! You can post your own thoughts, in text or video form, and you can engage with our Roundtable staff, as well as other Mariners fans. If prompted to download the Roundtable APP, that's free too!