Seattle Mariners Reliever Matt Brash Undergoes Tommy John Surgery, Out Until 2025

Instead of bouncing back from a preseason injury scare, Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Matt Brash underwent UCL surgery and will miss the next 12 months.

Sep 30, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Matt Brash (47) stands on the mound. | Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports

Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Matt Brash underwent Tommy John surgery on Wednesday, general manager Justin Hollander told reporters Friday.

Hollander anticipates that Brash will return to MLB action in June 2025.

Brash had been out sidelined the early days of Spring Training, when he fell victim to elbow inflammation. While many initially expected the worst, Brash began playing catch in early March and was throwing off the mound again a few weeks later.

The Mariners had Brash on track to start a rehab assignment in mid-April, but they shut him down indefinitely after he suffered a setback on April 27.

Seattle sent Brash to Texas to meet with a specialist, Dr. Keith Meister, who ultimately determined the reliever would need surgery after all. The Mariners then moved Brash from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list on Wednesday – the same day as his brace procedure.

Matt Brash had Tommy John surgery on Wednesday, Justin Hollander just said … He had the ligament repaired and brace procedure, and they anticipate that he’ll be ready for Major League activation by next June.

— Daniel Kramer (@DKramer_) May 10, 2024

Brash made his MLB debut in 2022, going 4-4 with a 4.44 ERA, 1.559 WHIP, 11.0 strikeouts per nine innings and a 0.1 WAR across 39 appearances.

The righty took the next step in 2023, improving his stats across the board in an AL-leading 78 appearances. Brash went 9-4 with a 3.06 ERA, 1.330 WHIP, 13.6 strikeouts per nine innings, four saves, 24 holds and a 1.3 WAR – second-best among Mariners relievers.

Brash will not contribute to Seattle's bullpen this season, however, and he likely won't be his usual workhorse self when he returns in 2025. He will be 27 years old the next time he takes the mound in an MLB game, based on Hollander's timeline.

The Mariners have now had two pitchers undergo Tommy John surgery over the past two months – Brash and Jackson Kowar.

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