Key Highlights
- The Oakland Athletics have signed right-hander Mark Leiter Jr. on a contract pending a physical.
- Alejandro Villalobos of Foul Territory reports the deal guarantees Leiter around $3 million.
- Leiter, 35 in March, made his big league debut in 2017 and established himself with the Chicago Cubs in 2022.
- The Athletics see potential value in Leiter as a solid middle relief arm.
Athletics Sign Mark Leiter Jr. for Solid Middle Relief
The Oakland Athletics have bolstered their bullpen with the signing of right-hander Mark Leiter Jr., according to reports from Foul Territory’s Robbie Hyde. The deal, pending a physical, is guaranteed around $3 million, as reported by Jesse Rogers of ESPN.
Leiter’s Career Path and Performance
Mark Leiter Jr.’s journey in Major League Baseball (MLB) has been marked by varied roles and teams. He made his big league debut with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2017, but it wasn’t until joining the Chicago Cubs in 2022 that he truly established himself as a key player. Leiter served as both a swing man and long reliever for the Cubs, pitching to an ERA of 3.99 over 67 2/3 innings.
In the following season, his role shifted to full-time short relief, where he showcased strong peripherals with a 3.75 ERA and a 3.12 Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP), while striking out 30.9% of batters faced and walking only 8.8%. His impressive performance in the bullpen caught the attention of the New York Yankees, who traded for him in the 2024 MLB trade deadline.
Performance with the Yankees and Free Agency
Despite his strong peripherals, Leiter struggled to translate them into consistent results with the Yankees. Over parts of two seasons, he posted a subpar ERA of 4.89 but maintained a FIP of 4.07. In 2025, Leiter showed promising strikeout rates (24.7%) and a groundball rate (45.5%), yet the Yankees did not tender him a contract for the upcoming season, leading to his free agency earlier than anticipated.
Expected Role with Oakland Athletics
The Athletics view Leiter as an ideal fit in their bullpen setup. At 35 years old, he brings valuable experience and solid middle relief arm capabilities. His ERA of 4.15 over the past four seasons aligns closely with league average (100) by ERA+, making him a reliable option.
Additionally, his splitter has proven effective against left-handed batters, as evidenced by his 2.49 ERA and 2.57 FIP in 104 2/3 innings faced against lefties over the last three seasons.
Leiter’s potential to offer late-inning upside, combined with his relative affordability, is expected to be a valuable addition to the Athletics’ bullpen. As the team continues to build for future contention, Leiter’s performance could significantly impact their middle relief depth and overall game strategy in 2026.
The signing of Mark Leiter Jr. marks another move by the Oakland Athletics as they aim to strengthen their roster ahead of the upcoming season, adding depth to a bullpen that already features respectable arms like Hogan Harris and Michael Kelly.