SEATTLE -- If all goes perfectly for the Mariners, Bryan Woo wouldn’t have to pitch in the ALCS, with George Kirby tabbed to start Game 3 on Wednesday and Luis Castillo already announced as Seattle’s Game 4 starter.
But if the series goes to a fifth game, Woo could be the Mariners’ option to start in what would be his first action since Sept. 19, sources told MLB.com's Daniel Kramer.
That was the plan Sunday, when Woo threw 25 pitches on the mound at Rogers Centre in a live batting practice vs. swinging hitters, ahead of Seattle’s 10-3 win in Game 2 against the Blue Jays. It just required Woo to come out of the session feeling good.
A day later, that can solidly be marked as another box checked.
Now, there’s just one more box left.
“I'm ready to get in the game, and the last box to check is just to get my name called,” Woo said.
When that does happen, Seattle’s vaunted pitching staff will be as whole as it’s been all season. Kirby started the year on the injured list, and Bryce Miller and Logan Gilbert also spent a significant chunk of time there in the late spring and early summer. All three returned without needing surgery -- just like Woo would -- but the results for just about everyone have been mixed. The Seattle rotation posted a combined 3.97 ERA in the regular season (tied for 13th in MLB) after leading the league with a 3.38 clip in 2024; minus Woo, the group’s ERA was 4.24 this season.
But after Kirby threw two good starts in the ALDS, Gilbert and Castillo both played hero out of the bullpen in Game 5’s marathon and Miller -- who likely would have been the odd man out of the rotation had Woo not gotten hurt -- posted his best start of the season in Game 1 of the ALCS, the unit is looking better than it has all year. All that’s missing is the man who had become its ace.
“Getting him back, one of the guys that has really led this staff this year, obviously will be huge for us, whatever that looks like as we get into the later part of this series,” manager Dan Wilson said. “But getting him back and getting him healthy is the key. He's getting close.”
When Woo does return, he’ll almost certainly be on a pretty strict pitch count. He’s been out since exiting his Sept. 19 start in Houston with right pectoral inflammation, and he didn’t throw off a mound against hitters until Oct. 2. His live BP on Sunday was his second. If this was May or June, he’d be bound for at least two or three rehab starts to build up to full strength.
Now, though, the Mariners don’t have that long to give him. But he’s more than willing to work at whatever his capacity is.
“It’s frustrating not being out there, but everything looks good, feels good so far,” he said. “I'll be ready to go whenever my name gets called.”
Woo posted a 2.94 ERA in 30 starts, pitching a career-high 186 2/3 innings. On the day of his injury, his 198 strikeouts ranked fourth in the American League and his 0.93 WHIP was second among qualified pitchers.
But he’s still waiting to make his first career postseason start.
Now, though, that debut is closer than ever.
“I'm excited to get out there,” Woo said. “You're itching, as a competitor, to want to contribute in some other way than just kind of being a good vibes guy in the dugout. There's a lot more to it.”