Mariners' Bryan Woo to undergo MRI for pec tightness amid tight AL West race
Left Friday's 4-0 win over the Astros with pec tightness; MRI planned as Seattle fights for playoff positioning.
Seattle Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo left Friday's 4-0 win over the Houston Astros with a pec tightness and is likely to undergo an MRI on Saturday, Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. Seattle sits one game ahead of Houston in the AL West and is tied with the Detroit Tigers for the No. 2 seed, a position that comes with a first-round bye. Too many unknowns remain, Wilson added, and the club will learn more after the medical evaluation.
Woo was dominant through five shutout innings, improving to 15-7 with a 2.94 ERA after allowing one hit and one walk while fanning seven against Hunter Brown. He felt something between the fifth and sixth innings but remained on the mound for the next frame before exiting to a trainer. Eduardo Bazardo relieved Woo and delivered two scoreless innings as Seattle secured the 4-0 victory.
Seattle is chasing a return to the postseason for just the second time in 24 years and has leaned on its pitching staff, with Woo potentially lined up for a Game 1 start if the team reaches the playoffs. An injured-list stint could complicate that plan and limit his availability come October if the MRI reveals a more significant issue. Wilson said the team would “get some stuff done (Saturday), and I’ll know more,” emphasizing that there were too many unknowns at the moment.
The Mariners now need only one more win in the current series to claim the season tiebreaker versus Houston, which would help their playoff positioning even if the outcome of the final two games in Houston remains uncertain. Seattle closes the road trip with two games in Houston before finishing the season at home against the Colorado Rockies and the Los Angeles Dodgers. If Woo’s injury lingers or requires an IL stint, Seattle’s pitching depth and rotation alignment for the postseason could be affected.