Mariners Manager Apparently Operating with Cautious Approach For Bryan Woo

As the Seattle Mariners battle issues in the bullpen right now, don't expect starting pitcher Bryan Woo to always eat the innings. The team is being careful with Woo, who has a history of elbow problems.

May 26, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryan Woo (22) throws a pitch against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-USA TODAY Sports / Rafael Suanes-USA TODAY Sports

According to Seattle Mariners' manager Scott Servais, the team is operating with a cautious approach in regards to starting pitcher Bryan Woo.

Per Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times on social media:

A preemptive tweet ... Servais said Bryan Woo is still operating under a pitch limit of 80-85. They are still being cautious with his health and since he's working without extra days of rest. They likely won't push him beyond 80-85 till the team gets a few more offdays in the coming weeks.

A preemptive tweet ... Servais said Bryan Woo is still operating under a pitch limit of 80-85. They are still being cautious with his health and since he's working without extra days of rest. They likely won't push him beyond 80-85 till the team gets a few more offdays in the…

— Ryan Divish (@RyanDivish) May 26, 2024

This is important to note because as the M's middle relief core of Gabe Speier and Trent Thornton continues to struggle, many fans would like to see the starters go longer in order to shorten the gap to closer Andres Munoz.

Although the relief issues are real for Seattle, the approach with Woo is also understandable. He has a history of elbow problems, missing time last season with inflammation. Furthermore, he also missed at the beginning of this season with the same issue.

One of the most valuable young pieces on the roster, the M's can't afford to have Woo miss any more time. Furthermore, he threw 87.2 innings at the big league level last season and the M's likely don't want to extend him exponentially beyond that this year. While he's sure to throw more than that, it's smart to manage the innings and pitches where you can.

Woo entered play on Sunday with a 2-0 record and an ERA of just 0.57. He got a no-decision on Sunday, giving up three earned runs over six innings. He threw 70 pitches.

The Mariners will take on the Houston Astros for a four-game series beginning on Monday.

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