The Seattle Mariners got good news regarding right-hander Bryan Woo’s status. Woo will start the series finale against the Philadelphia Phillies, reports Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times.
That more or less answers the questions concerning the 26-year-old. Woo was scratched from his scheduled start against the Chicago Cubs on August 22, which went to top prospect Kade Anderson instead.
Mariners manager Dan Wilson was confident that Woo would avoid a stint on the 15-day injured list. He threw a bullpen on Sunday, and the team likely saw enough to green-light his next start.
The 2025 All-Star has had a down year in 2026, pitching to a 4.10 ERA over 138.1 innings. More advanced metrics are more bullish on Woo’s abilities, with a 3.29 FIP and 3.71 xFIP suggesting he’s closer to a frontline starting pitcher like last season.
Mariners Projected Starters vs. Phillies After Bryan Woo Announcement
GettyBryan Woo has been cleared to start the series finale against the Phillies. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
There was a strong possibility that Bryan Woo would start Wednesday. The Mariners announced the starter for that game as TBA, suggesting their decision was already made. A day later, the Woo news dropped.
The Mariners will go with their top three starters against the Phillies. Right-handers Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, and Bryan Woo are all projected to start in the series.
This series against the Phillies could serve as a last-stand moment for the club, who’s endured a very difficult season. However, they also face a Philadelphia team carrying a nine-game winning streak into Seattle.
Seattle is three games back of the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers in the American League West. So there is a lot of urgency for the Mariners to try to turn their season around.
For the Mariners to begin their season turnaround, they’ll need Gilbert, Kirby, and Woo to pitch like the frontline starters they are. Because that’s exactly how the team is built to win.
What’s Next for the Mariners?
GettyThe Mariners face questions with Bryce Miller given his recent struggles and possible injury situation. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
The natural question with the Bryan Woo news is what happens with the rotation. Theoretically, the team could turn to a six-man rotation to keep Kade Anderson on the roster.
However, a recent injury development could make that decision for them. Right-hander Bryce Miller revealed to The Seattle Times‘ Adam Jude that he had been pitching through a lat injury for a month.
This comes on the heels of the Colt Emerson injury situation. The rookie shortstop is undergoing season-ending surgery, but was called out by president of baseball operations Jerry DiPoto for hiding the injury.
Miller has struggled in his last eight starts. He has a 7.19 ERA and 6.30 FIP over that stretch. His strikeout rate has plummeted to 15.9%, less than half his 33.2% mark over his first nine starts of 2026.
The 28-year-old is a possible candidate for the injured list, especially since his starts aren’t keeping the team in it. Miller has the dubious honor of suffering back-to-back losses by at least 17 runs, as the Mariners lost 22-0 and 19-2 in his last two starts.
Per ESPN Insights, that is the second time in MLB history this has happened. George Van Haltren of the Brooklyn Wonders suffered a similar fate all the way back in 1890.
He became the 1st pitcher since George Van Haltren of the 1890 Brooklyn Wonders to lose consecutive starts by at least 17 runs 😱😱
Mariners Get Good Bryan Woo Injury News Before Phillies Series