Bryan Woo to open season on injured list for Seattle Mariners
PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 07: Bryan Woo #22 of the Seattle Mariners throws in the first inning during a spring training game against the Los Angeles Angels at Peoria Sports Complex on March 07, 2024 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Aaron Doster / Getty Images)
The Seattle Mariners will open the season with No. 5 starter Bryan Woo on the injured list due to right elbow inflammation with Emerson Hancock set to take his place in the starting rotation.
General manager Justin Hollander told reporters in San Diego on Monday that Woo is being shut down briefly after experiencing discomfort during his most recent bullpen session.
"He did not feel good going into his last bullpen, couldn't get loose," Hollander said. "We cut it very short. Fortunately, MRI, everything else came back very clean structurally. No damage to the UCL, nothing really of note, just a little mild inflammation. He'll be no throw for seven days and then ramped back up. We don't anticipate a lengthy absence. Probably more similar of what it was in August of last year when he went on the IL, but nevertheless, he will not be in our rotation to start the season.
Woo was placed on the injured list last August due to right forearm inflammation and ultimately missed less than three weeks of action. He was placed on the 15-day injured list on August 8 and was back for a start against the Chicago White Sox on August 22.
Hollander did not sound overly concerned about Woo’s prognosis. While Woo did have Tommy John surgery in 2021, the images taken of Woo’s elbow were sound.
"His UCL graft looks great," Hollander said. "There's nothing structurally going on. So once he's ready to go after this, hopefully after the seven days of shutdown, I don't anticipate it being a long build up."
Hancock was called up to fill-in for Woo last summer and will get the chance again to open the season with Woo on the IL. He made three starts in Seattle’s rotation with six runs allowed in 12 innings pitched with three walks, six strikeouts, and one home run allowed.
"Emerson Hancock will take his spot," Hollander said. "We've talked to Emerson, he's with us now. He's excited for the opportunity. Obviously, not excited about the way the opportunity is, but he's excited. Showed us a lot in camp, a lot of positives. We're really confident he's more than capable at this point."
In addition to Woo, utility player Sam Haggerty will also start the year on the injured list due to a personal medical issue Hollander wouldn’t disclose. Relievers Matt Brash and Gregory Santos will also start the year on the IL as they work back from injuries in spring training.
Brash was shut down last month due to an elbow issue early in camp. Mariners staff watched him throw recently and were happy with how he performed.
"Matt Brash threw at 85 percent off the mound on Sunday. He's just going to continue to ramp up a little bit a time in intensity. Sort of already tested it on volume and now we're just building intensity." Hollander said.
Santos was shut down due to a sore lat muscle earlier this month.
"He will have an MRI, I believe, on the 28th to measure the progress." Hollander said. "If that looks good, he'll start ramping back up again. Obviously, he was pretty close to game availability when he felt the lat issue. We'll start building him back up if the MRI shows the swelling is completely out of there."
Reliever Eduard Bazardo will also open on the injured list due to a rotator cuff strain, but he’s throwing and could be MLB ready by late April.
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