SEATTLE -- More details emerged on Monday relating to the incident involving Brendan Donovan over the weekend, as general manager Justin Hollander revealed that the third baseman was not wearing a helmet when taking a ball off his head in the batting cages.
Donovan was subsequently placed on the 7-day concussion injured list on Sunday, one day after the incident.
“Freak accident,” Hollander said. “I feel terrible for BD. He’s had kind of a year from hell in a lot of ways.”
This is Donovan’s third stint on the IL in his debut season in Seattle, having been limited to just 39 of Seattle’s first 132 games.
He’s first eligible to be activated on Saturday in Toronto.
“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 incident in the batting cages took place moments before first pitch on Saturday against the Cubs. Typically, a handful of hitters will take batting practice around that time in the leadup to live game action.
The club has not identified who was throwing to Donovan.
“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.”
Moving forward, it’s a safe bet that players will be wearing helmets during all forms of BP.
Other injury updates
J.P. Crawford (left wrist inflammation) was at T-Mobile Park before Monday’s game and went through a pregame workout. The veteran did most of his work at shortstop, and he could be activated as soon as Tuesday -- against his former team. Crawford has played in three rehab games at Triple-A Tacoma, going 4-for-11 with a three-run homer on Saturday.
Matt Brash (right lat strain) was slated for his fourth bullpen session of his progression on Monday. The Mariners are still determining when he’ll begin a Minor League rehab assignment but don’t have a definitive timeline. Brash had been hopeful for early September at the outset of 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 (right shoulder strain) will make his second rehab appearance at Tacoma on Tuesday. He made his first on Saturday, surrendering a leadoff homer then a one-out walk and single. He’s tracking toward an early September return.
“He felt great, which is much more important than the results in a Triple-A rehab game,” Hollander said.
Hollander also shared that rookie shortstop Colt Emerson will undergo season-ending surgery on his left wrist on Wednesday.
Additionally, Bryan Woo will be reinstalled to the rotation for Wednesday’s series finale against the Phillies.