The Mariners got a much-needed win over the Brewers on Wednesday night, but the bigger storyline hovering over Seattle is Bryan Woo’s shoulder and what it might mean for the stretch run.
Woo has steadied himself after a rough run on the road. He threw five shutout innings against the Yankees last Tuesday, then followed that with six innings of two-run ball against the Astros on Sunday. Still, his outing in Houston came with a concern: after the game, Woo said he had "shoulder discomfort," and he was pulled after 75 pitches.
Woo said he wasn’t worried, and the same goes for the general read from the outside. But on the latest 'Refuse to Lose Territory' podcast, ESPN’s Buster Olney was asked about the level of concern, and he pointed to the importance of the communication between Woo and the Mariners’ staff.
"So, you know, it’s good that there apparently is an open line of communication between Woo and the staff, and if he’s not feeling good, then they can back him up, give him a little bit of rest, and maybe that’ll work. It’s certainly a red flag, and the question: are there more red flags to follow?"
That’s the question Seattle has to live with now. The Mariners need Woo at his best if they’re going to make a push over the final six weeks of the season, especially with the standings still tight.
Seattle is 60-67 entering Thursday and sits four games out in the American League West. The Mariners are also 2.5 games behind the Minnesota Twins for the third and final wild card spot.
The club is in the middle of a brutal nine-game trip through New York, Houston and Milwaukee, and Wednesday’s victory moved them to 4-4 on the road swing. They’ll try to leave with a winning trip when they finish the series against the Brewers on Thursday morning at 11:10 a.m. PT.
There have been some positives amid the chaos, including the impact from Brendan Donovan, continued offense from Dominic Canzone, the team’s resilience and Woo’s recent bounce-back work on the mound. Now the Mariners are hoping the shoulder issue doesn’t become the next problem to manage.
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