UPDATE: Mariners All-Star right-hander Bryan Woo has been scratched from his scheduled start against the Colorado Rockies on Thursday night due to pectoral tightness, as confirmed by Seattle general manager Justin Hollander earlier today. This development comes after Woo left his last game—a 4-0 victory over the Houston Astros—after a few warmup pitches in the sixth inning.
Woo is reportedly in a good mental state following the incident, but his routine has been disrupted. “He was very disappointed Friday postgame, just with the uncertainty,” Hollander stated. “He really wanted to go dominate the entirety of the game, and he was on pace to do that.” Fortunately, the last couple of days have shown significant improvement, with Woo expected to throw soon—possibly as early as tomorrow.
Despite the setback, Hollander has confirmed there are no current plans to place Woo on the injured list (IL). If he were to be added, it would impose a mandatory 15-day stint, which could jeopardize his availability for the postseason. The Mariners have only six regular-season games left, and Hollander emphasized, “We don’t think he’ll need 15 days. Even if we were in June, I don’t think he would need IL placement right now.”
As the Mariners stand at 87-69, they are on the brink of clinching a playoff berth, potentially as soon as today, while aiming to secure the AL West title by Wednesday. The team has been on a roll, winning 14 of their last 15 games, providing a cushion that allows them to be cautious with Woo’s recovery. Manager Dan Wilson remarked, “I think it’s the prudent thing to do at this point. He continues to get stronger, and we’ll just continue to monitor as we go.”
The Mariners will begin a crucial three-game series against the Rockies today, with Woo’s absence adding urgency to their playoff aspirations. Fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see how this impacts the team’s performance and Woo’s return to the mound.
