The Seattle Mariners fear that star reliever Matt Brash could miss the entire season. Brash was shut down from throwing last week due to arm discomfort. Both the Mariners and Brash didn’t think it was a cause for concern. But, on Tuesday, manager Scott Servais went on a Seattle radio station and didn’t provide any update about Brash. Then, there’s one more piece of news that isn’t what the Mariners want to hear.
Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times suggested that Brash could miss the entire season potentially.
“Right-hander Matt Brash was shut down from throwing after feeling “banged up” following his bullpen session last Tuesday. The young reliever didn’t provide many details but looked down at his elbow during the conversation. Servais had no details on the situation both this morning’s media sessions and in a recent radio interview. He wouldn’t provide details on where Brash was hurting. Servais said they will have an update on the issue in the next couple of days. Industry sources believe that Brash could miss an extensive amount of time, possibly the season.
Matt Brash Suffers Elbow Injury
Brash should be watched with a keen eye. He quietly emerged as one of the most significant setup pitchers in the league last year. His 3.06 ERA in 70 2/3 innings is great on its own, but that covers a great four-month run to close out the season on a high note. Brash posted strong secondary numbers but had high run-prevention numbers in the season’s first two months. By Memorial Day weekend, the right-hander put up a 2.36 ERA with a 32.4% strikeout rate and a 9.7% walk rate.
Brash averaged 98.2 mph on his fastball while saving four games and picking up 24 holds. He is expected to be the primary setup man for closer Andrés Muñoz.
Marines Injury Woes
The injury news of Brash is unfortunate for the Mariners. However, he isn’t the only one banged up as Gregory Santos was also shut down from throwing for the time being. Third baseman Luis Urías isn’t throwing either following shoulder inflammation while playing winter ball in Mexico. The Mariners believe it will be a short-term issue, but there’s no clear timetable for Urías to begin throwing.
Urías posted a dismal .199/.307/.299 slash in 177 plate appearances with the Milwaukee Brewers and Boston Red Sox last year. But, he slashed .244/.340/.426 in 1042 plate appearances with Milwaukee from 2021-2022. A healthy Urias would be a great option for Seattle as a platoon either at third base or second base. The acquisition of Jorge Polanco will have him play at second base, leaving Urias and Miguel Rojas in the platoon.
If Brash Is Done
The Mariners will have to adjust to cover for Brash. While they have an internal great arm in Carlos Vargas, perhaps he could fill in the possible missing hole in the bullpen. They also signed former closer Ty Buttery and there are also options in free agency. An accomplished reliever like Ryne Stanek is still available.
Main Photo: © Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports
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