The Mariners spent most of the summer waiting for Matt Brash . He was meant to be the bullpen reinforcement waiting just around the corner. But it just hasn't worked out for him this season. At this point, it's almost okay that he's being shut down. The Mariners are 10 games under .500 and their playoff chances are on the outside looking in.
Brash's latest MRI showed continued inflammation in his right lat, and he will be shut down for eight weeks. That ends his season. The scan reportedly showed no structural damage, which is reassuring for 2027. But it does absolutely nothing for Seattle right now.
We already know what a healthy Brash is capable of. He struck out 107 hitters while leading the majors with 78 appearances in 2023, then lost all of 2024 to Tommy John surgery. When he returned the following May, he barely missed a beat, posting a 2.47 ERA and opening his season with a franchise-record 19 straight scoreless appearances before helping Seattle reach the ALCS.
That made 2026 feel like the year Brash would finally become a permanent fixture at the back of Seattle's bullpen. Some combination of Jos A. Ferrer, Gabe Speier and Eduard Bazardo handling the earlier innings before handing the ball to Brash in the eighth and Andrs Muoz in the ninth sounded like a solid plan. Instead, Brash's right lat sent him to the IL twice.
The worst part about it is how numbers looked before injury. Brash finishes with a 0.54 ERA and a 0.84 WHIP across 20 appearances. He allowed one earned run all season.
The Mariners initially hoped rest and another throwing progression would get Brash back. He felt tightness after a recent bullpen session in Boston , however, and the follow-up MRI confirmed that the inflammation had not fully healed.
His injury explains why the Mariners are missing a dominant arm. It doesn't excuse the poor pitching we've been seeing from the staff lately. Seattle's remaining relievers still have to get outs, and the front office cannot keep pointing toward an unavailable Brash as the solution waiting around the corner. That solution is officially out for the season .
Taylor was officially recalled because the Mariners placed Hoby Milner on the family medical emergency list. Still, the larger opportunity is there. Seattle has bullpen innings available, and anyone capable of recording three clean outs should be treating this like an open audition.
The righty has taken one of the strangest routes to this opportunity. This guy was a high school shortstop who converted to pitching in college, he was drafted by the Mariners twice. Seattle selected him in the 20th round in 2021 but couldn't sign him. After Taylor spent a season at UC Irvine, the Mariners came back and selected him again in the 12th round of the 2022 draft.
Taylor opened 2024 with High-A Everett and moved quickly to Double-A Arkansas. He posted a 1.17 ERA at both minor-league stops, saved 21 games and reached the majors by August that season.
He posted a 0.87 ERA in his first 11 appearances in the majors. Since then, it's been a bit rough go. He dealt with a right lat strain of his own in 2025, allowing nine earned runs over 6 2/3 in the majors. He spent all of 2026 with Tacoma before this recall, recording a 4.99 ERA with 60 strikeouts and 35 walks across 52 1/3 innings. So it's not like he was killing it before being recalled.
Still, it's nice to see him work his way back. Taylor can miss bats, and he has a nice fastball/sweeper combo. The problem has always been his dodgy command. Thirty-five walks in Triple-A isn't nothing. They are the reason this opportunity comes with real uncertainty.
Hoby Milner :The Mariners placed Milner on the family medical emergency list three days after adding him to the roster. He made two appearances for Seattle before stepping away. The transaction explains Taylor's recall; Milner's personal circumstances don't need speculation.
Emerson Hancock :Hancock received encouraging MRI results after suffering a left abductor strain. He is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Sunday, which will help determine the next step in his recovery. Encouraging is welcome, but it is not the same thing as an established return date.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/mariners/onsi as Mariners News & Notes: Matt Brash Out for Season, Troy Taylor Returns .
