Mariners may be without Matt Brash for entire 2024 season

The Seattle Mariners have been dealt a blow before the season even starts, with Matt Brash set to be out for an extended period of time.

The Seattle Mariners had one of the very best bullpens in all of baseball last season, ranking fourth with a team ERA of 3.48 and tied-third with just 211 walks. They also placed tied-eighth with both a 1.26 WHIP and .232 batting average.

The Mariners are once again projected as one of the top reliever units in 2024, with the likes of Andrés Muñoz, Gabe Speier and the recently acquired Gregory Santos. However, they are potentially set to be missing another one of their key components in the bullpen.

As we shared at the weekend, the Mariners had shut down Matt Brash but the official line was that it was nothing significant. However, as per Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times, it now transpires that the issue is conceivably more serious than originally reported.

Potentially out for the season

As things stand, the Mariners have provided no further official updates at the time of posting. Unfortunately for fans though, Divish writes that industry sources believe Brash could miss an extensive amount of time, possibly even the entire season.

The issue apparently centers around Brash’s elbow, with an update expected sometime within the next couple of days. It goes without saying though, that any extended absence would be a big blow for the Mariners.

The 25-year-old has a propensity to cause stress among fans, as evidenced by his career 1.426 WHIP in the Majors. However, overall he is an extremely talented arm, with a slider that is arguably the best pitch on the Mariners staff.

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Brash produced a 3.06 ERA and 2.26 FIP in 70.2 combined innings last season, along with an impressive 107 strikeouts. He was also tops among all Major League relievers with 78 appearances, which some are speculating might have contributed towards his current injury issue.

The Kingston, Ontario native originally arrived in a trade from the San Diego Padres as the player to be named later, in exchange for Taylor Williams. It’s fair to state the Mariners won the trade as things stand.

If nothing else, at least the Mariners have plenty of time before the regular season starts, to find a replacement for Brash if required. However, until an official announcement is made, fans will obviously be hoping any absence turns out not to be long-term.

What does the potential long-term absence of Brash mean to you? How confident are you in the Seattle Mariners bullpen being successful without him? Let us know in the comments section below.