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Seattle Mariners Reliever Suffers Potential Setback in Recovery
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- Seattle Mariners Reliever Suffers Potential Setback in Recovery
Seattle Mariners general manager Justin Hollander speaks to the media before a game against the Athletics on Thursday at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. | Teren Kowatsch/Roundtable Sports
SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners bullpen seems to have been the biggest war of attrition for the team this season, mostly due to factors out of the club and players' control.
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Various injuries kept high-leverage right-handed relievers Matt Brash , Carlos Vargas and Cooper Criswell out of the major league bullpen for extended periods of time.
Vargas and Criswell have made their returns to the major league roster in recent days and weeks, but Brash hasn't had the same luck as his teammates.
Brash, who's been out since June 10 due to a right lat strain, threw a bullpen during the team's most recent series against the Boston Red Sox . He felt well while throwing the bullpen, but afterwards felt tightness in his lat area. He underwent an MRI on Thursday.
"He has bounced back reasonably, not as much as we would have hoped," Mariners general manager Justin Hollander said before a game against the Athletics on Thursday at T-Mobile Park. "Which is why we've been in the same (pattern) where he's throwing bullpens but hasn't progressed to live BPs or game-action. Because this has been a pattern over the last 10 days, two weeks, where he feels really good in-between (bullpens), he feels really good throwing on (flat ground), he feels fine in the bullpen and then after the fact it starts to tighten up a little bit. Until we can get through that, there's just no reason to push him out there and cause more injury or have a recurrence of the same injury."
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This current injured list stint is the second for Brash this season due to the same injury designation. Between his pair of periods on the shelf, he's posted a 0.54 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 16.2 innings of work across 20 appearances.
Other injury notes
-- Utility player Brendan Donovan is still in concussion protocol and is continuing to work through and progress through the symptoms. Due to his time down, Hollander was unable to state whether he'll need a rehab game or two or if it will be a straight activation to the major league roster.
-- Outfielder Victor Robles was placed on the Family Medical Emergency list and outfielder Stuart Fairchild was recalled from the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers in a corresponding move. There was no specific information provided aside from Hollander and manager Dan Wilson wishing the best for Robles and Robles' family.
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-- Right-handed reliever Nick Davila is also set to undergo an MRI on Thursday and will be out for the season. The team suspects either a sprain or stress reaction in his rib.
-- Right-handed reliever Cole Wilcox could "touch the mound" this weekend, per Hollander. If he does and successfully gets through multiple bullpens, he could be sent on rehab assignments with the Rainiers and be available to the M's before the end of the season.
-- Minor league outfielder Brennen Davis will miss the rest of the season. He was recalled from Triple-A and placed on the 60-day injured list Wednesday. Davis has been out since June 2 due to a hamstring strain and also suffered an oblique strain during his recovery.
-- Right-handed starter Emerson Hancock (left adductor strain), will throw from either flat ground or a mound Sunday. The team will figure out his progression based on how that goes.
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-- Minor league shortstop and top 100 prospect Felnin Celesten will be shut down for the rest of the year due to a minor groin strain. He's currently with the Double-A Arkansas Travelers and was placed on the 7-day injured list Wednesday.
