SEATTLE – All-Star right-hander Bryan Woo’s status for the American League Division Series remains unclear.
Mariners RHP Kirby to start ALDS Game 1; Castillo gets Game 2
During a press conference early Friday afternoon, Seattle Mariners manager Dan Wilson was noncommittal when asked whether Woo will be on the team’s ALDS roster against the Detroit Tigers. Wilson said it would depend on how Woo’s arm has recovered after throwing a bullpen session off the T-Mobile Park mound on Thursday afternoon.
Woo is working back from inflammation in his right pectoral muscle.
“We’re going to continue to see how he feels today when he gets here for the workout,” Wilson said. “We’ll continue to gather that information from him and his health, and we’re going to make those decisions later today. … Those are things that we’re still waiting on, and we’ll put it all together once we get all the information together this afternoon.”
The Mariners have to submit their ALDS roster by Saturday morning. Game 1 is slated for 5:38 p.m. Saturday in Seattle.
Wilson echoed Woo’s comments from Thursday, calling the bullpen session a positive step.
“Bryan threw the ball well,” Wilson said. “Again, that was a step forward for him yesterday. Kind of according to plan and where we’re at.”
The 25-year-old Woo exited his Sept. 19 start in Houston due to pectoral tightness after throwing five scoreless innings on 67 pitches. He skipped his final start of the season last week, but the Mariners decided against putting him on the 15-day injured list, with the hope that he’d be back to pitch at some point during the ALDS.
Woo was Seattle’s best pitcher this season. He finished fifth in the American League in ERA (2.94), third in WHIP (0.93), tied for third in opponents’ batting average (.200), fifth in strikeouts (198) and seventh in innings pitched (186 2/3).
On Friday, the Mariners announced that George Kirby will start Game 1 on Saturday and Luis Castillo will take the ball for Game 2 on Sunday.
That would leave Logan Gilbert as Seattle’s likely Game 3 starter when the best-of-five series shifts to Detroit on Tuesday. If necessary, Game 4 would be Wednesday in Detroit and Game 5 would be next Friday, Oct. 10, in Seattle.
Click here for details on Mariners Radio Network coverage of the ALDS from Seattle Sports.
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