Emerson Hancock is set to throw another bullpen this week, and might return to a different role on the pitching staff if things go well.
ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Seattle Mariners are in the final stretch of the regular season.
The Mariners (70-80 record) have 12 more games left in the regular season, and are possibly one loss away from their playoff odds being all but evaporated, if they're not already.
Seattle will begin that final stretch in the first of a three-game series against American League West rivals, the Los Angeles Angels, at 6:38 p.m. PT on Monday at Angel Stadium.
One of the biggest questions still remaining for the Mariners roster-wise is whether starting pitcher Emerson Hancock will be active for the club for the home stretch.
Hancock has been on the injured list since Aug. 30 (retroactive to Aug. 29) due to a left adductor strain. His last start came against the Toronto Blue Jays on Aug. 28, where he struck out one batter, hit another and allowed five earned runs on eight hits (two home runs) in five innings pitched.
The Mariners have been building up Hancock to a potential return, and signs have been encouraging toward that return.
The former first-round pick threw a bullpen on Sunday while the team was still at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, Calif. Returns were positive, and Hancock is scheduled to throw another bullpen Wednesday before Seattle's series finale against Los Angeles.
"From (Hancock's bullpen Wednesday), we'll be in a position to figure out how to get him back," Mariners manager Dan Wilson said in a pregame interview Monday. " ... When and where to activate him."
There's been question whether Seattle would use Hancock in the bullpen or move him back to the starting rotation upon his return due to the amount of time the former Georgia Bulldog missed and how many games are left in the season.
Wilson wouldn't say anything definitively, but his comments seem to indicate a return to reliever would be the likeliest path for Hancock.
"He's been down a while," Wilson said. "So not having that (buildup), I think it would be a little bit more difficult. But I think we have to see if he's good on Wednesday and then, (see) how many innings we can realistically feel like we can get from him."
Regardless of if Hancock returns to the bullpen or rotation, being down for nearly a month is likely not the end he or the Mariners would have wanted to end a career-best season.
Hancock, in his fourth year in the major leagues, has posted a 3.57 ERA and has fanned 126 batters in 138.2 innings pitched across 25 starts.
