SEATTLE -- Brendan Donovan is still dealing with concussion symptoms after the weekend incident that sent him to the injured list, and Mariners general manager Justin Hollander said Monday that the third baseman was not wearing a helmet when he was struck in the head in the batting cages.
“Freak accident,” Hollander said. “I feel terrible for BD. He’s had kind of a year from hell in a lot of ways.”
Donovan’s latest setback is his third trip to the IL in his debut season in Seattle, and he has been limited to 39 of the club’s first 132 games. He is first eligible to return on Saturday in Toronto, but for now his status remains fluid.
“He still has symptoms -- much improved from yesterday, which is exciting for us -- but it's a day-to-day thing,” Hollander said. “I think everyone knows that these things can be better and then a little worse, then a little better. So we'll see how it is over the coming days.”
The injury happened just before first pitch on Saturday against the Cubs, when players were going through pregame batting work. Donovan was taking live BP in the cage when a throw got away and hit him in the head. The club has not identified who was throwing to him.
“He’s one of the guys that really likes to get after it in pregame,” Hollander said. “He was in the cage taking live BP in the cage, which is pretty common for a lot of guys in the big leagues, but especially him.
And just a throw got away and hit him in the head. It’s no one’s fault.
It happens.”
Hollander added that going forward, players will likely be wearing helmets for all forms of batting practice.
J.P. Crawford, meanwhile, was at T-Mobile Park before Monday’s game and completed a pregame workout as he works back from left wrist inflammation.
The shortstop did most of his work at his position and could be activated as soon as Tuesday against his former team. Crawford has already played three rehab games with Triple-A Tacoma and went 4-for-11 with a three-run homer on Saturday.
Matt Brash is also moving along in his recovery from a right lat strain. He was scheduled for his fourth bullpen session Monday, and the Mariners are still figuring out when he’ll start a Minor League rehab assignment. There is no firm timeline yet, though Brash had been aiming for early September when he began his first bullpen on Aug. 15 in Houston.
“That lat just can be a little fussier, and take a little longer and [have] less subjective ways for us to feel confident that he's good to go,” Hollander said. “So, trying to sort through what is normal soreness and what may be a reason for us to back him off a couple days.”
Cooper Criswell, recovering from a right shoulder strain, is set to make his second rehab appearance at Tacoma on Tuesday. In his first outing on Saturday, he allowed a leadoff homer before a one-out walk and single. Even so, Hollander said Criswell is still on track for an early September return.
“He felt great, which is much more important than the results in a Triple-A rehab game,” Hollander said.
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