Amid their tough start to the season, the Seattle Mariners hit another roadblock. Right fielder Victor Robles was placed on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday with a pec strain. Seattle also moved reliever Carlos Vargas from the 15-day to the 60-day injured list. With Robles hitting the injured list, they called up Connor Joe from Triple-A Tacoma to fill his spot on the major league roster. This injury is not what the Mariners were expecting, and injuries from anyone on the squad are the last thing they need. Joe may be an additon who can help them win games.
Victor Robles Goes on Injured List with Pec Strain
How This Affects The Mariners
Victor Robles has had a history of injuries that have limited his playing time throughout his career. It was roughly one year ago that he hit the injured list last season in a game against the San Francisco Giants. He made a wall-crashing catch that kept him out until August. This is the same injury that Bryan Woo had at the end of last season, which sidelined him for about a month. Since it’s still early in the season, the Mariners are likely to take their time getting him healthy. It wouldn’t be surprising if he is out for a couple of months. This takes out one of the options in right field, and they lose a right-handed bat in the lineup.
Roster Moves:
🔹 Connor Joe (#9), INF/OF, selected from Triple-A Tacoma.
🔹Victor Robles, OF, placed on 10-day Injured List (right pec strain, retroactive to April 7).
🔹Carlos Vargas, RHP, transferred from 15-day Injured List to 60-day Injured List (right lat strain).… pic.twitter.com/qrBcc6NV3C— Mariners PR (@MarinersPR) April 8, 2026
Connor Joe Replaces Robles on the Roster
Joe is known for being a utility player who can play outfield and infield. He was seen playing first base in his first game for the Mariners. This gives Josh Naylor a break, who has been heavily struggling. Joe has a career .717 OPS but in last season only had an OPS of.564. In spring training with Seattle, he had an average of .340, an on-base percentage of .411, and a slugging percentage of .560 in 50 at-bats. He batted .235 with four doubles, one home run, and four RBI in nine games in Triple-A Tacoma. This could be a solid fit for the Mariners, but this is not a long-term “fix.” Connor Joe can produce for this team and gives Naylor some time to figure it out offensively. This also gives Seattle another right-handed bat to continue the platoon lineups that they love.
What Seattle is Losing
Manager Dan Wilson stated that Robles was injured during outfield drills before a game earlier this week. So far in this season, he has played in five games. He hit .231 with a double, an RBI, and a stolen base. So, at first glance, it looks like they aren’t missing much with this injury, but they are in fact missing a big piece. Robles is a veteran with experience in Seattle and has shown he can benefit this team. With him set to miss time, looking for a replacement is typically more of a band-aid than a permanent fix. Vargas being out for at least a couple of months will hurt the Mariners as well. He played a crucial role in last year’s bullpen.
Victor Robles and Carlos Vargas being injured for an extended time period puts an already struggling Mariners team in a tougher spot. Will Seattle stick with Connor Joe in right field, or will they bring anyone else up to try to fill this roster spot? All that is known is Seattle continues to struggle, and injuries are the last thing they need.
Main Photo Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports
