Mariners recall Matt Festa, Matt Brash, place Ken Giles on IL
MIAMI, FLORIDA - APRIL 29: Matt Brash #47 of the Seattle Mariners delivers a pitch during the second inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on April 29, 2022 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
SEATTLE - The Seattle Mariners have recalled right-handed pitchers Matt Festa and Matt Brash from Triple-A Tacoma and placed right-hander Ken Giles on the 10-day injured list due to a shoulder injury.
Catcher Luis Torrens was activated from the 10-day injured list and catcher Andrew Knapp was designated for assignment. Additionally, right-handed pitcher Erik Swanson was placed on the paternity list.
Starting pitcher George Kirby was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma after his start Friday night against the Blue Jays, The move is to limit Kirby's workload with an off-day Monday and the All-Star break ahead giving Seattle the chance to dial back his innings for the moment.
Right-handed pitcher Jacob Barnes was selected from Tacoma to fill the 40-man roster spot vacated by Knapp. Barnes, 32, made 22 appearances with the Detroit Tigers this season, going 3–1 with a 6.10 ERA.
Giles was injured in the seventh inning of Friday night's game. A shoulder issue kept Giles from feeling right and he exited the game mid-at-bat after recording just a single out. Manager Scott Servais said after the game that Giles felt like he just couldn't get loose and they decided to pull him from the game.
"Some tightness in the back of his shoulder," Servais said Saturday.
Servais said with the All-Star break approaching, it's likely they'll try to get him back coming out of the break.
"Hope it's nothing more serious than that," he said.
Meanwhile, Swanson's wife went into labor during the eighth inning of Friday's night's 5-2 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. With the game going 11 innings, the Mariners had only Tommy Milone left in the bullpen when Eugenio Suarez hit his walk-off three-run homer.
"We've got a few fresh arms out there in the bullpen, which we're probably going to need here today and tomorrow based off last night's game," Servais said.
Torrens had a rehab assignment Friday night with High-A Everett prior to his return to the roster. Torrens had sustained a shoulder injury coming out of the team's brawl with the Los Angeles Angels on June 26.
Brash opened the season in the starting rotation for the Mariners. In five starts, Brash allowed 17 earned runs in 20 innings pitched with 17 walks and 19 strikeouts. The Mariners sent him down to Triple-A and made the decision to move him to the bullpen.
"Brash has done a good job with that," Servais said. "We've tried to put him in a number of different situations down there. He's got great stuff. Good chance you'll see him out there tonight if the situation calls for it."