BALTIMORE -- Needing another fresh arm for a bullpen that’s taken quite a few hits this week, the Mariners went one in and one out again on Thursday, adding right-hander Michael Rucker and subtracting righty Domingo Gonzalez.
But the bigger development was on the leverage arm who departed town before the club’s four-game series finale vs. the Orioles -- as Matt Brash was en route back to Seattle for further evaluation on the right lat strain that landed him back on the 15-day injured list one day prior.
On the mend, though, were shortstops J.P. Crawford (who took ground balls for the first time since suffering a right hand contusion) and Colt Emerson (who returned to the lineup after missing three backs with a back spasm).
Brash is expected to meet with team doctors then transition his rehab to the club’s Spring Training facility in Arizona. The Mariners will hold a more formal update on his status on Tuesday, when general manager Justin Hollander will make a state-of-the-IL address, as he does at the outset of each homestand.
“What everybody knows, it's going to be a while,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said of Brash. “He won't be able to throw for a while, he'll be down, and then it's the build up after that. Those things are always difficult."
The same goes for Cooper Criswell -- Seattle’s most versatile reliever, who pitched in both multi-inning and higher-leverage roles -- as he was placed on the IL on Tuesday with a right shoulder strain.
“You feel for both Matty and Criz, and I mean, anybody that gets injured,” Wilson said. “But those are obviously two guys that we've leaned on quite a bit. Injuries are part of the game, and we're going to have to adapt and overcome that.”
Brash missed 18 games earlier this season, but when healthy, has been arguably their most effective reliever -- even with a few command hiccups, which he suggested correlated to his lat issue. Overall, he has a 0.54 ERA in 16 2/3 innings across 20 outings, with a 23.4% strikeout, a 9.4% walk rate and a 0.84 WHIP.
“It seems like this is going to be a little bit more time down than he was the last time,” Wilson said.
Emerson was one of just two players to take batting practice Thursday, along with Julio Rodríguez, which is not custom on getaway day. But the club wanted to see him go through a full pregame workout to ensure that he was good to go.
Mariners infield coach Perry Hill also had infielders go through drills, wanting to put eyes on Emerson, given that the 20-year-old rookie suffered the back spasm on a throw during those drills on Monday.
“It tightened up on a throw, so that was kind of the last hurdle,” Wilson said, “and I think throwing felt good for him down here on the side. So once that was kind of the last hurdle to clear, we knew we were in a good spot.”
Crawford, meanwhile, was also seen gripping a bat in the visiting clubhouse, which he was unable to do as recently as Tuesday. He played catch for the first time on Wednesday, took grounders at third base on Thursday and is eligible to be activated on Tuesday.
Barring the unforeseen, he appears on target for that -- though it’s unclear if the club will want him to make a Minors rehab assignment. That seems unlikely, given that he wanted to remain with the team on this lengthy road trip under the care of Seattle’s athletic training staff.
Rucker, 32, has made 22 appearances with Tacoma this season, posting a 1.59 ERA with 11 walks, 25 strikeouts and a 1.58 WHIP. He was a non-roster invitee to big league Spring Training this year, and as such, needed to be added to the 40-man roster. And he attended Auburn Riverside High School in nearby Auburn, Wash.
His need became clear after Gonzalez -- who was designated for assignment -- threw 39 pitches over two innings in Wednesday’s 7-0 loss, including a grand slam to Jackson Holliday.