The Seattle Mariners have reshuffled their weekend pitching plans after a right-hander experienced discomfort in his throwing shoulder, though the club remains hopeful the issue will not require an injured-list stint.
He initially felt the discomfort during last Sunday’s win over the Houston Astros, allowing two runs over six innings. Seattle responded by delaying his scheduled Saturday start as the team determines when he will be ready to return to the rotation.
Top prospect Kade Anderson will take Woo’s place and make his major-league debut Saturday against the Chicago Cubs. Anderson has dominated at Double-A Arkansas this season, posting a 1.06 ERA and 0.64 WHIP with 135 strikeouts over 93 1/3 innings. He has also issued only 13 walks while limiting opponents to a .147 batting average.
MLB.com’s latest Mariners injury update listed Woo with right shoulder discomfort and no specific return date, noting that his Aug. 22 start had been pushed back by at least two days. Manager Dan Wilson remained optimistic that Woo could avoid the injured list.
Another positive sign is that Woo has not needed imaging on the shoulder. Wilson indicated that the Mariners currently expect the right-hander to miss no more than his next scheduled start.
Seattle’s decision to take a cautious approach comes after an impressive run from Woo. The right-hander has posted a 1.00 ERA over 18 innings in three August outings, striking out 15 while issuing just three walks.
The emergence of Anderson gives the Mariners some much-needed rotation flexibility without requiring them to rush Woo back into action. The 22-year-old lefty is ranked by MLB Pipeline as Seattle’s No. 1 prospect and the fifth-best overall prospect in baseball.
Bryce Miller is still lined up to pitch Sunday in the series finale. Once the Mariners have a clearer picture of Woo’s status, they will reassess their rotation, with a six-man setup being considered as a short-term option.
For now, Seattle has kept Woo off the injured list. While there is still no firm timetable for his return, the club appears to be leaning toward giving him additional rest rather than expecting him to miss an extended period.
