Seattle Mariners Provide Injury Updates on a Pair of Critical Relief Pitchers
The Seattle Mariners got positive injury reports on relievers Matt Brash (elbow) and Gregory Santos (lat) on Tuesday, with both players checking out well from throwing sessions.
Brash was shut down last week after feeling discomfort in his elbow. He was then diagnosed with elbow inflammation and was cleared to throw on Tuesday. Though he checked out OK, he's almost certain to start the year on the injured list and could even be further behind.
Per Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times:
With athletic trainers watching closely, Brash played catch for the first time since being shut down from throwing on Feb. 21. He made 25 controlled throws from 60 feet.
“I kind of have to temper my expectations,” he said. “I was just really curious how it was going to feel out there, but it felt good. I was just happy to be back on the field and be a part of the team.”
He will throw again on Thursday as part of a slow ramp-up. While throwing is good, it's often the recovery that is the interesting thing to watch and the team will certainly be doing that.
The 25-year-old Brash is one of the nastiest pitchers in all of baseball, complete with a triple-digit fastball and a wicked slider. He went 9-4 last season for Seattle with a 3.06 ERA and led baseball in appearances with 78. He made his major league debut in 2022 and made five starts before heading to Triple-A and resurfacing as a dynamite reliever.
As for Santos, who was just acquired from the Chicago White Sox in a pre-Spring Training deal, he continues to build back up as well and seems to have a chance to be ready for Opening Day.
Again, from Divish:
Gregory Santos played catch from up to 150 feet on Tuesday. Servais said that usually when a rehabbing pitcher throws at that extended distance, it is the final box to check before throwing off the mound, which could come by the end of the week. Santos was shut down for 10 days after he felt some discomfort in the back of his shoulder following his first bullpen session on Feb. 13.
The 24-year-old Santos made his major league debut in 2021 with the San Francisco Giants. He's 2-4 with a 4.00 ERA at the major league level. He had five saves last season, ending the year as the White Sox closer.
Once everyone is healthy, Santos and Brash will pair with Andres Munoz to make hopefully one of the best bullpen trios in the American League.
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