Mariners GM Justin Hollander provides injury updates ahead of current homestand

Updates on Luke Raley, George Kirby, Logan Gilbert and others

As is tradition at the beginning of a homestand, Justin Hollander met with the media to provide injury updates on players’ recovery timelines. Here’s a summary of where the injured Mariners currently stand; thankfully, progress is being seen in all areas after a particularly brutal start to the season.

MLB Updates:

• Trent Thornton (appendicitis): Thankfully, the Mariners were able to catch Thornton’s symptoms in time after he hadn’t been feeling well for a couple of days; he had emergency appendix surgery and is already feeling better. He’s on the 15-day IL and while it shouldn’t be too much longer than that, it should be at least the minimum 15 days and possibly more like 20-30. Troy Taylor has been recalled from Tacoma to take his place.
• Luke Raley (strained oblique): Raley will remain with the team over this homestand doing light baseball activities; he was out on the field pregame running around. When the team sets out for their next road trip, Raley will head to Arizona to ramp up his rehab. Raley had a “really positive last few days,” per Hollander, and is starting to feel better and is “progressing really well.”
• Logan Gilbert (elbow/flexor bundle strain): Gilbert continues to make progress in his throwing program and could throw a bullpen, or simply throw off a mound, as soon as the end of this homestand.
• George Kirby (strained shoulder): Kirby will start for Tacoma tomorrow. He will make one more rehab start at least on regular rest, and then the team will assess to see if he’s ready to be activated from there.
• Jackson Kowar (UCL reconstruction): Kowar will also be joining the Rainiers this weekend. He’ll be in Tacoma making regular appearances out of the bullpen until at least the end of May, at which point the team will re-assess. While he’s not on the 40-man yet, fellow reliever Trevor Gott (UCL) will also be joining Kowar in Tacoma’s bullpen.
• Victor Robles (shoulder fracture): Robles will get a CT scan at the six-week mark to ensure that everything is continuing to heal well. So far, reports are good.
• Gregory Santos (knee) had his surgery to “clean up” issues in his knee; the team is talking about the All-Star Break as a possible return date.
• Tayler Saucedo (lat): New injury alert. Saucedo is on the MiLB IL in Tacoma with a strained lat. H’ll be down for a couple of weeks, and once the injury has had time to calm down, he’ll be ramped back up. Hollander doesn’t believe Saucedo’s injury is serious, but it will require him to be down for a bit.
• Matt Brash (TJ) has not reported any pain as he’s been ramped back up to playing in games; the team will continue avoiding him in back-to-back outings for now.

Minor League Updates:

• RHP Taylor Dollard (a litany of things) threw two innings in the ACL the other day. He’s slated to throw at least two more and then the team will decide what affiliate they’ll send him to in mid or late May, since Dollard hasn’t pitched in about two years while dealing with injuries. We’re excited to see Dollard hit a competitive mound again and wish him the best.
• RHP Zach Pop, like Gott, a journeyman picked up over the offseason, should also be joining Tacoma’s bullpen towards the end of this month.
• RHP Teddy McGraw, another one of the frequent fliers in the training room, has returned to throwing, and could hopefully join an affiliate at the end of this month.