Logo courtesy of the Athletics

WEST SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - The Athletics have agreed to terms with right-handed pitcher Mark Leiter Jr. on a one-year contract for the 2026 season, the club announced Dec. 17.

Leiter went 6-7 with two saves, 14 holds and a 4.84 ERA in 59 relief appearances for the New York Yankees last season. He struck out 54 batters in 48.1 innings and walked 17 for a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 3.17. The 34-year-old right-handed pitcher appeared in 50 or more games for the third consecutive season and his six wins were a career high.

Leiter has pitched for four teams in six seasons in the majors and is 16-29 with nine saves and a 4.60 ERA in 270 career appearances with the Phillies (2017-18), Blue Jays (2018), Cubs (2022-24) and Yankees (2024-25). He was originally drafted by Philadelphia in the 22nd round in 2013 and did not pitch in 2019 and 2020 due to “Tommy John” surgery and the pandemic. Leiter returned to the majors in 2022 and appeared in a career-high 69 games for Chicago in 2023 when he logged a career-low 3.50 ERA. He is the son of Mark Leiter, who pitched 11 seasons in the majors from 1990-2001, and the nephew of Al Leiter, who played 19 seasons from 1987-2005 and was a two-time All-Star.