Seattle Mariners Manager Explains Questionable Pitching Decision

Seattle Mariners manager Scott Servais on Friday explained his decision to start Bryan Woo in Sunday's game against the Houston Astros and hold Logan Gilbert for the Los Angeles Angels series.

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryan Woo (left) is tended to by a member of the team training staff after leaving a game against the Oakland Athletics in May at T-Mobile Park. / Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports

SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners began a crucial second half of the season with a 3-0 loss against the Houston Astros on Friday. The Astros trailed the Mariners by 1.0 game in the American League West going into the series and had the best record in the American League since June 1 (25-13), according to Statmuse.

With the amount of things at stake in this series, it makes sense why roster decisions would be scrutinized. Seattle made such a decision that some fans a little confused.

Logan Gilbert was held out of the series against Houston in favor of Luis Castillo on Friday, George Kirby on Saturday and Bryan Woo on Sunday and a few fans wondered why. Gilbert was a 2024 All-Star, leads the team in strikeouts and would have had six or seven days of rest depending on whether he started Saturday or Sunday.

Mariners manager Scott Servais offered some explanation in a pregame interview Friday to the decision to slot Woo in for Sunday:

"There was a couple different things to look at," Servais said. "... Is this the biggest series of the year? No, because we're going to play Houston again and there are other things that are going to go on here in the last two-plus months of the season. You want to keep guys in some rhythm and I think putting Bryan Woo into this series, it's something we talked a lot about. We want to get him pitching again and didn't want to have the layoff be too long."

Woo has had an up-and-down 30 days. Mostly down. He was put on the injured list on June 24 with a right hamstring strain suffered against the Tampa Bay Rays. He returned on July 12 against the Los Angeles Angels and let up four earned runs on nine hits in 3.1 innings pitched.

Woo has had two different stints on the IL this season and has shown a lot of good things overall despite injuries limiting him to just nine starts.

Bryan Woo, Wicked 95mph Front Door Two Seamer. 🤢 pic.twitter.com/zpC773ilOi

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 6, 2024

After the loss on Friday, the Mariners and Astros are now tied in the American League West. First pitch on Saturday is set for 6:40 p.m. PT.

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