Seattle Mariners Get Very Disappointing Injury Updates on a Trio of Pitchers
The Seattle Mariners, hanging around the fringes of the American League playoff picture, got some disappointing health news on a trio of pitchers on Tuesday.
First, with veteran starter Marco Gonzales, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports that:
Marco Gonzales is experiencing nerve issues in his elbow and has been shut down for two weeks
That's a particularly tough blow for the Mariners for a few reasons. First, the team just designated pitcher Chris Flexen for assignment, so the overall depth is already thinned out. Also, the team is rolling with young starting pitchers Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo right now, and they almost certainly will hit innings limits this season. The stability of a veteran like Gonzales would allow the M's to ease off the youngsters, but right now, they can't afford to.
He's 4-1 this season with a 5.22 ERA. While his overall numbers don't look great, he's been one of the more dependable pitchers in baseball over the last several years. Since arriving in Seattle in 2017, he's gone 61-47 for the M's with a 4.08 ERA. He's made 25 or more starts in each full season since 2018. He went 7-2 in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
The Mariners will also be without reliever Penn Murfee for the rest of the season. He will undergo surgery on his UCL.
Murfee finishes with a 1.29 ERA this season. He made his major league debut in 2022 and was integral in helping the Mariners get to the playoffs for the first time since 2001.
He was 4-0 a season ago with a 2.99 ERA in 64 games.
And finally, the team will also be without prospect Taylor Dollard for the rest of the season.
Per Divish:
Taylor Dollard is done for the season and will have labrum surgery
He is the organization's No. 8 prospect per MLB.com.
The Mariners are 38-39 and will take on the Washington Nationals on Tuesday at 9:40 p.m. ET.
Follow Fastball on FanNation in social media
Continue to follow our Fastball on FanNation coverage on social media by LIKING us on Facebook and by following us on Twitter @FastballFN.
You can also subscribe to "The Payoff Pitch" podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
