TORONTO – For the Mariners’ taxed pitching staff, a vital reinforcement appears on the horizon.
Mariners ace Bryan Woo is expected to be added to the 26-man roster for the franchise’s first American League Championship Series appearance since 2001, club president Jerry Dipoto said.
It’s unlikely Woo would be available to pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays until sometime later in the ALCS. He’s not expected to be available for Sunday’s Game 1 in Toronto (5 p.m. PT, FOX).
“Our belief is that he will pitch in the series. We don’t know if he’ll be ready to start in the early part of the series,” Dipoto said Friday night, amid the on-field celebration of the Mariners’ AL Division Series Game 5 victory over the Tigers.
Woo, recovering from inflammation in his right pectoral muscle, was not included on the Mariners’ ALDS roster.
Without Woo, the Mariners managed to advance past the Tigers – though they needed 15 innings to do so Friday in a thrilling 3-2 victory in Game 5, depleting their pitching depth in the process.
On Friday afternoon, Woo threw about 30 pitches off the bullpen mound, the last handful at what appeared to be close to maximum intensity. He appeared encouraged by his progress, laughing and joking with teammates after wrapping up his throwing session.
The 25-year-old right-hander was the Mariners’ best starting pitcher during the regular season, earning his first All-Star Game selection and going 15-7 with a 2.94 earned run average.
Woo has not pitched since exiting his Sept. 19 start after five scoreless innings. He was diagnosed with the pectoral inflammation the next day and was shut down from throwing for about 10 days after that.