Seattle Mariners general manager Justin Hollander held a media session prior to Friday’s series opener against the Miami Marlins to provide injury updates, as has become customary on the first day of homestands at T-Mobile Park.
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For video of Hollander’s session, the Marine Layer Podcast has excerpts in multiple parts at the following links (part 1, part 2). Here are details on seven updates Hollander provided.
Seattle Mariners injury updates
• 1. Matt Brash, RHP
Seattle’s hard-throwing relief pitcher with a devastating slider is continuing to inch closer to his return after missing all of last season following surgery to repair a UCL (elbow) injury.
Brash, 26, made one surprise appearance in the Mariners’ final Cactus League game in March, and has now appeared in four games on a rehab assignment with the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers, allowing two earned runs on four hits and a walk with four strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings.
“Brash is doing great on his rehab assignment,” Hollander said. “The next phase of his rehab assignment is start putting him in more game-like situations, coming in a pivot situation, middle of an inning, shortening up the time between outings. But he’s making great progress.”
Hollander said the Mariners don’t have a date yet for when Brash could be activated by the M’s, but did say the team anticipates this is the “home stretch of his rehab.”
Brash appeared in 39 games for Seattle in 2022 and led MLB with 78 appearances out of the bullpen in 2023, a year in which he posted a 3.06 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 24 holds and four saves, and struck out 107 batters to 29 walks over 70 2/3 innings.
• 2. Victor Robles, OF
Hollander had a positive update on the Mariners’ starting right fielder and leadoff hitter. The shoulder injury suffered while making a spectacular catch earlier this month is healing as hoped, so Robles will not need surgery.
The 27-year-old Robles has a mid-summer timeline to return, reports The Seattle Times’ Adam Jude.
• 3. Gregory Santos, RHP
One of Seattle’s offseason additions prior to the 2024 season, Santos was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma after a rough start to this year out of the Mariners’ bullpen. Now he’s set for knee surgery next Tuesday in Chicago.
The Mariners placed Santos on their 15-day MLB injured list Friday, with right knee inflammation listed as his injury.
“After we optioned him, he let us know that the conservative care that we were working with around his knee was not feeling 100%,” Hollander said. “We sent him to the doctor, (and) they are going to do a cartilage cleanup on his knee. TBD on the timeline, would expect him back this year.”
Santos missed the first half of 2024 with a lat strain, then went on the IL with biceps inflammation. He also pitched through a knee issue last year.
• 4. George Kirby, RHP
The 2023 All-Star starting pitcher was shut down in spring training with shoulder inflammation, but he’s making another step toward his return by throwing a bullpen Friday at T-Mobile Park. Hollander said next up would be a live batting practice session “hopefully on this homestand.”
The Mariners are home in Seattle for five games, the last of which is next Wednesday, April 30 against the Los Angeles Angels.
• 5. Ryan Bliss, IF
Hollander said there was no change in the Mariners second baseman’s status, but he did confirm that Bliss will continue through the rehab process in Arizona “for the remainder of the season unfortunately.”
Bliss, 25, suffered a left biceps tear earlier this month that required surgery.
• 6. Jackson Kowar, RHP
A relief pitcher acquired in the December 2023 trade that sent Jarred Kelenic and Marco Gonzales to the Atlanta Braves, Kowar missed all of last season due to a UCL injury suffered in spring training. He’s nearing his own rehab assignment, which Hollander said would “probably” last a full 30 days and would likely be with Tacoma.
“He’s done great through the process. He’s had a great attitude the whole time,” Hollander said. “… He’s doing really well right now, no hiccups along the way.”
• 7. Jonny Farmelo, OF (prospect)
The 29th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, Farmelo is the No. 92 prospect in all of baseball and No. 6 in the Mariners’ system according to MLB.com, but he has not played since last June due to a knee injury.
His return is imminent, though, and it will be with the High-A Everett AquaSox on Tuesday, April 29.
Hollander said Farmelo will start out playing four days a week with a day at designated hitter mixed in, and progress from there.
The Mariners begin their homestand at 6:40 p.m. Friday against the Miami Marlins in the first of a three-game set. Radio coverage on Seattle Sports begins at 5:30 with the pregame show.
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