Seattle Mariners place Carlos Vargas on injured list, recall Cole Wilcox from Triple-A Tacoma

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PEORIA, ARIZONA - MARCH 11: Carlos Vargas #54 of the Seattle Mariners throws a pitch during a Spring Training game against the Colorado Rockies at Peoria Stadium on March 11, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona.  (Brandon Sloter / Getty Images)

SEATTLE - The Seattle Mariners placed right-handed reliever Carlos Vargas on the 15-day injured list with a strained right lat muscle and recalled right-hander Cole Wilcox from Triple-A Tacoma.

Vargas didn't pitch for the Mariners in their 6-4 opening day loss to the Cleveland Guardians. Instead, it appears Vargas was injured coming out of the team's final spring training game against the San Diego Padres on Monday. Vargas pitched a scoreless inning with one strikeout, throwing 12 pitches with seven strikes.

"He felt something the other day and did the right thing and let us know," manager Dan Wilson said. "We don't really know too much more about it for a couple of days as we're assessing it, but obviously tough. Injuries are always tough and so we'll just hope for the best. Vargy is a big part of our bullpen down there."

Vargas was clearly unavailable to throw on opening day, meaning the Mariners played short one potential option in their first game of the season. 

"We heard about it once we were here, either yesterday or the day before," Wilson said. "It was the right thing to kind of pull back and keep us aware, so that's where we're at."

With starters not fully stretched out at the beginning of the season, being down an arm in the bullpen isn't ideal.

Wilcox, 26, was acquired in a trade from the Tampa Bay Rays for cash consideration in November. Wilcox has appeared in one major league game, throwing one inning of relief for the Rays against the Boston Red Sox in September.

A former starter, Wilcox has appeared in 109 games (71 starts) in the Rays' minor league system, posting a 3.90 ERA with 124 walks and 348 strikeouts in 369 innings pitched over five seasons.

Wilcox made eight appearances in spring training for the Mariners, throwing 8 ⅓ innings with four runs allowed on six hits with four walks and 11 strikeouts.

"A really good spring," Wilson said. He's got great stuff. That hard sinker, a good slider. That's a good combination and that's what he did all spring, he attacked the zone and got ahead. Will be down there and available, and we'll see how it plugs in.

"Losing Vargy is tough, but I think Cole has great stuff and will fit right in down there."

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