Right-handed pitcher Bryan Woo, nursing a right pectoral injury, could miss Game 1 of the American League Divisional Series
SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners are guaranteed a berth to the American League Divisional Series round of the 2025 MLB playoffs.
Across their series sweep against the Colorado Rockies, the Mariners clinched a playoff berth Tuesday, clinched the American League West on Wednesday (first division title since 2001) and secured a bye through the wild card round of the playoffs Thursday.
Seattle's remaining three games from Friday-through-Sunday, all against the Los Angeles Dodgers at T-Mobile Park, will determine whether the Mariners enter the postseason as the No. 1 or No. 2 seed.
Leading up the game-clinching series, the assumption was 2025 All-Star Bryan Woo would be the team's Game 1 starter in the playoffs. But an injury could throw a wrench into those plans.
Woo has been nursing right pectoral inflammation since his last outing against the Houston Astros on Sept. 19. He was pulled early from that outing with the injury.
Woo had a light catch-and-throw session before Seattle's 6-2 win against Colorado on Thursday.
According to comments made by Woo in a story from MLB.com's Daniel Kramer, the team and Woo are trying to build back up to a five-day routine, with Thursday representing Day 1. That schedule is tentative based on how Woo feels physically.
Assuming the days of the routine coincide with days where games are played, Woo's return would be Game 2 of the best-of-five American League Divisional Series, which would take place Oct. 5 at T-Mobile Park.
“For what I did, it went well,” Woo said in Kramer's report. “I played catch today, and then I’ve just got to see how I feel. I don’t know what the plan is even, honestly, for tomorrow. I did some stuff today. We’re trying to treat it and still build it out like it’s a five-day. So like, stress it hard today. Tomorrow would be like the day after a start, so more likely recovery. ... I’m still trying to make it kind of routine-based.”
There's been no report on who would start the playoff-opener for the Mariners in Woo's stead, but the likely choice would be 2025 Opening Day starter Logan Gilbert.
Entering Friday, Gilbert has posted a 3.24 ERA with 168 strikeouts in 126 innings pitched across 24 starts. He hasn't allowed more than two earned runs in five of his last six outings. Four of his turns during that stretch have been quality starts.
Woo has a 2.94 ERA this year and has fanned 198 batters in 186.2 innings pitched across 30 starts. His innings pitched, strikeouts and starts are all career-highs.
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