Former Mariners pitcher who had bounce-back 2024 season winds up in Japan for 2025

Another former Seattle Mariner is on the move, and it's another former Mariner who enjoyed a successful season in the Pacific Northwest. For whatever reason, the M's had no interest in a reunion, but perhaps it was for a good reason.

Austin Voth enjoyed a fine bounce-back campaign last year, but will now ply his trade on a new continent. The pitcher has signed a deal to play in Japan with the Chiba Lotte Marines in NPB.

Voth played just the one season in Seattle with the Mariners, but made his mark as a valuable member of the bullpen. He had career-bests with a 1.049 WHIP and .204 opponents' batting average, while his 61 combined innings were the second-most of his Major League career.

The 32-year-old's revival extended to his 4.12 FIP, 24.6% strikeout rate and 7.3% walk rate all being the second-best of his seven seasons in the Majors. He also produced a 3.69 ERA, in what was a career-high 68 appearances.

For some more context, Voth has made 207 combined appearances during his time in the Majors, in the process producing a career 4.70 ERA, 4.68 FIP and 1.343 WHIP. Aside from the Mariners, he has also pitched for the Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles.

Last season with the Mariners was a homecoming for Austin Voth

Making last year even more special for the righty was the fact he's a Redmond native who went to the University of Washington to play college baseball with the Huskies. However, the dream scenario came to an end, after he was non-tendered following the 2024 season and became a free agent.

As per Daniel Kramer of MLB.com, Voth had been in line to earn $2.2 million in 2025, prior to being non-tendered by the Mariners. Financial terms of his deal with the Marines had not been disclosed at the time of writing.

While the 2013 fifth-round draft pick does not have a dynamic arm as such, he does possess three solid pitches with his fastball, changeup and slider. As per what he did last year for the Mariners, he is expected to be a durable option for the Marines in whatever role they have in mind for him.

In this respect, Voth was previously a starter when he first entered the Majors, before making the transition to the bullpen full-time with the Orioles in 2023. Interestingly enough, he'll join former Mariner Jason Vosler, who was similarly with the Mariners last year and has since signed with the Chunichi Dragons, who also play in Japan.

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