Seattle Mariners Reliever Matt Brash Not Expected to Pitch in Spring Training Games
In this story:
It was big news on Saturday when Seattle Mariners reliever Matt Brash returned to the mound for a bullpen session at the Peoria Sports Complex.
Brash missed all of last season after undergoing and recovering from Tommy John surgery, and his return to the Mariners is much-anticipated, considering he's one of the best bullpen arms in the league. He's expected to return to the 'pen by late April or early May.
According to Daniel Kramer of MLB.com, Brash is not expected to pitch in Cactus League games, which begin Feb. 21.
Brash is balancing the competitive urgency to let things rip with the patience of not rushing this elongated and mentally draining process. By design, his fastball velocity was in the high-80s. The next major benchmark will be throwing a live batting practice at some point this spring, though he’s not expected to pitch in Cactus League games.
Matt Brash today took another small yet notable step in his recovery from Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for all of 2024 -- but he's still not rushing things.
— Daniel Kramer (@DKramer_) February 16, 2025
"I know I'll be back soon, and I'm not going to miss too much of the year anyways."https://t.co/VkntlCzZ3X
Brash's bullpen session Saturday focused mostly on breaking balls.
The 26-year-old Canadian is one of the nastiest pitchers in all of baseball, complete with a triple-digit fastball and a wicked slider (when healthy). He went 9-4 in 2023 for Seattle with a 3.06 ERA, and he 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.
The Mariners hope that they can pair him with Gregory Santos and Andres Munoz at the back-end of the 'pen to give themselves a three-headed monster at the end of a game. Furthermore, an improved 'pen would likely take some of the pressure off of the starting rotation group, which wouldn't be forced into going as deep into games.
Related Stories on Seattle Mariners
NEW PODCAST IS OUT! We're back for the second episode of season two! Brady says that the M's should call the Red Sox about a possible trade now that the team has signed Alex Bregman and he talks about Cal Raleigh's leadership continuing to grow. Furthermore, legendary ESPN MLB Insider Tim Kurkjian joins the show. CLICK HERE:
WHAT's NEW?: Speaking this week at spring training, M's catcher Cal Raleigh detailed how things are different under Dan Wilson than under previous manager Scott Servais. CLICK HERE:
FORMER M's CLOSER FINDS NEW HOME: Kendall Graveman, who was the Mariners closer during the 2021 season, has signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks after missing all of 2024 with injury. CLICK HERE:
Follow Seattle Mariners on SI on social media
Continue to follow our Inside the Mariners coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following Teren Kowatsch and Brady Farkas on "X" @Teren_Kowatsch and @wdevradiobrady. You can subscribe to the "Refuse to Lose" podcast by clicking HERE.
