Seattle Mariners non-tender former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher, now a free agent
Photo credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
The Seattle Mariners have non-tendered former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Trent Thornton and is now a free agent.
Trent Thornton has been non-tendered by the Seattle Mariners.
Thornton's 2025 season came to an abrupt halt in late July after he tore his left Achilles tendon.
Prior to the injury, Thornton posted five holds along with a 4.68 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 32:14 K:BB across 42.1 innings while operating out of the bullpen.
A few particularly rough blowups have inflated his ERA, but his 17.8% strikeout rate is well below Thornton's 26.2 K% from 2024.
Since coming to the Mariners in a trade from the Blue Jays prior to the 2023 deadline, Thornton has been a workhorse out of Seattle's pen, with a 3.65 ERA over 140 2/3 innings.
Trent Thornton, Frisbee 79mph Sweeper. 🥏 21 inches of horizontal break.
Thornton's injury may impact his ability to sign with a team early in 2026
He is making $2MM in 2025 and could be retained for 2026 via arbitration. Given his health uncertainty, it's not entirely surprising the Mariners decide to non-tender him.
Thornton's expected timeline to recover was estimated as 6-to-8 months after undergoing surgery in August, which will impact his availability for spring training should he sign with a team.
There is a slim chance that the Mariners bring back Thornton because he is a beloved personality among their bullpen.
Possibly a Minors contract or a less costly deal, as he's expected to return at some point in 2026.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 22 | 572 ANSWERS Seattle Mariners non-tender former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher, now a free agent Will a team sign Trent Thornton after he recovers from his Achilles tendon injury? | ||
| Yes | 225 | 39.3 % |
| No | 173 | 30.2 % |
| Too early to tell | 174 | 30.4 % |
| List of polls | ||