The Seattle Mariners are beginning the season with their No. 5 starter, Bryan Woo, on the injured list. He has inflammation in his right elbow. The team’s general manager, Justin Hollander, mentioned there’s no serious damage, and they hope Woo will recover in about a week to ten days so he can start pitching again.
This situation is similar to last season, when Woo also spent a short time on the injured list in August. Last season, Woo played 18 games as a starter for the Mariners, achieving a record of 4 wins and 5 losses with an ERA of 4.21. He pitched for 87 2/3 innings.
With Woo out, the team will rely on their depth in the starting rotation. They’re giving a chance to top prospect Emerson Hancock, who was initially supposed to start at Triple-A Tacoma. Instead, he’ll be pitching next Monday when the Mariners face Cleveland.
Hancock had a few starts with the Mariners last season before being sidelined with a lat strain. In addition to Woo, Seattle is also starting the season with relievers Matt Brash, Gregory Santos, and Eduard Bazardo on the injured list.
Brash is expected to return in May, while Bazardo might be back by the end of April. Santos will undergo an MRI later this week to determine when he can resume his throwing program.
