Mariners Believe Pitcher Bryan Woo Will be Ready in Time for ALDS
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The Seattle Mariners are riding high this week, as the club has been scrimmaging in preparation for Game 1 of the American League Division Series, set for Saturday. The team has seemed loose, mingling with fans and discussing the playoffs with the media. However, there's still one big question hanging over the M's as they begin their quest to win the franchise's first-ever World Series championship.
25-year-old Bryan Woo has emerged as the ace of the Seattle staff this season, but he's been hampered by a strained pectoral muscle that forced him to miss his final start. Now, the Mariners have been working to get him healthy and prepared for the playoffs.
Woo posted a record of 15-7, with a 2.94 ERA and a career-high 198 strikeouts. The Mariners are hoping that they can pencil him in for Game 1, against either the Detroit Tigers or the Cleveland Guardians. He did not throw to live batters during the team's Wednesday workout, but the team is hoping he can take the ball at some point in the AL Division Series. More than likely, he will be held out until Game 3, as he will throw his first bullpen session on Thursday.
"It seems like things are going according to plan,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “I think he'll get off the mound on Thursday, and so, [we will get] a chance to hear how he comes back on that on Friday and whatnot.”
The Mariners Need Woo Back, but They Have Options
If the team's leading winner needs to be held out for a few more days, the Mariners have options. Ideally, their four-man rotation would be Woo, Luis Castillo, Logan Gilbert, and George Kirby. However, they also have venerable right-hander Bryce Miller, who could be plugged in for a short start.
“You take everything into consideration," Wilson stated. "It includes thinking about what the playoff roster might look like as well. [There are] lots of different factors to take into account. And I think that is an advantage to having this week is to kind of see how things play out with opponents, with where you are as a club, all the different things that come into play.”
