The Seattle Mariners won the AL West for the first time since 2001. Now they’re trying to get back to the ALCS for the first time since 2001.
To do so, they’ll have to get past the Detroit Tigers without their ace.
The Mariners are leaving All-Star pitcher Bryan Woo off their 26-man roster for the ALDS, Seattle Times’ Adam Jude reported Saturday, hours ahead of Game 1.
Woo has missed the past two weeks with pectoral inflammation and reportedly isn’t ready to go for the division series against the Tigers. The 25-year-old righty, who posted a 2.94 ERA while making the Midsummer Classic for the first time in his young career, won’t be eligible to pitch until the ALCS, if the Mariners make it there.
That said, the Mariners believe Woo will have the green light for the championship series if they can in fact advance, per Jude.
He left a Sept. 19 start against the Houston Astros after spinning five shutout innings. It wasn’t until Thursday that he threw from the mound again.
Woo has clarified that, at this point, the focus is on ramping things back up so he has the arm strength to fire at the same intensity that’s made him one of the AL’s top hurlers.
“My job, it’s just control what I can control every day,” Woo said Thursday, via The Seattle Times. “I’ll do my stuff from when I get to the field early get everything done before the game starts. And then I have all the faith in the world with all of our pitchers — starters, relievers, whoever it is. They’re more than capable than doing the job like they have been all year.”
Seattle is rolling with fellow right-handed pitchers George Kirby and Luis Castillo to start Game 1 and Game 2 against Detroit, respectively.
Woo was one of five Mariners All-Stars this season. He was joined by closer Andrés Muñoz, whose 38 saves were the third most in the majors this season, as well as power-surged, switch-hitting catcher Cal Raleigh, center fielder Julio Rodríguez and left fielder Randy Arozarena.
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