The Mariners advanced to the American League Championship Series for the first time since 2001 after defeating the Tigers in 15 innings in Game 5 of the ALDS. The club’s hard-working pitching staff could be getting some major reinforcements, as M’s president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto told reporters (including Adam Jude of The Seattle Times ) that the right-hander Brian Wu Expected to join the Mariners’ roster for the next round.
Dipoto said Wu likely won’t play until closer to the midpoint of the series. That means Wu will be scheduled to start when the ALCS moves to Seattle for Games 3-4 and, if necessary, Game 5. It also leaves the question of who will start for the Mariners in Toronto’s first two games as the M’s use starters Logan Gilbert and Luis Castillo Coming out of the bullpen during a 15-inning marathon last night.
Castillo threw 15 pitches to Gilbert’s 34, so Castillo may still be the favorite to hit the mound first in Sunday’s Game 1. Bryce Miller If he starts Game 1, he’ll be rested for three days, so he’s a more logical candidate for Game 2 against the Blue Jays unless Gilbert is ready to play. The Mariners could use Miller as a floating back option behind Castillo and Gilbert in Game 1 or 2, George Kirby Will likely start in Game 3, then Wu gets his first start in Game 4. That assumes Wu will be used in a regular starting capacity and drags him to the middle of the series, giving the right-hander more time to develop across the board.
Of course, this is all speculative, and considering the Mariners need so many weapons to outlast the Tigers, they themselves may not have finalized their pitching plans for the ALCS. This is a problem the M’s are happy to have because it means their season is still going, which is a testament to Seattle’s rotation depth that the team can advance even without its best pitching staff heading into the 2025 season.
Wu posted a 2.94 ERA in 186 2/3 innings during the regular season, but he started out with chest tightness on Sept. 19, forcing him to exit the game after five scoreless innings. Wu has not pitched since, although he was not placed on the 15-day injured list and was able to throw in a bullpen session and a simulated inning before the start of the ALDS. Jude wrote before Game 5 that Wu threw nearly 30 pitches in Friday’s bullpen session and “appeared to throw about 75 percent effort,” then went “closer to 100 percent” on the final few pitches of practice.
Seattle and Toronto don’t have to announce their ALCS rosters until tomorrow, so we won’t get a final decision on Woo’s involvement and who spot he’ll occupy on the 26-man roster then. The move to a seven-game series could mean the Mariners will carry an extra pitcher after using the ALDS’ 14 position players and 12 pitchers, so players like rookies Ben Williamson or harry ford Might be a weird guy.
