Matt Brash Electrifies In Return: Seattle Mariners Reliever Throws The Heat in First Outing in Over a Year
The Seattle Mariners began spring training with some injuries that carried over from the previous season. The biggest holdover was to high leverage reliever Matt Brash.
Brash missed all last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery after leading the Mariners in appearances in 2023. He had a 3.06 ERA with 107 strikeouts in 70.2 innings pitched in 78 outings that year.
Brash has been ahead of schedule in his timeline for return. President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said in an offseason news conference held via Zoom that the team is anticipating a late April to early May return. Brash has been ramping up for a return and had several live bullpen sessions. He took another big step in his recovery and pitched in a game for the first time in over a year for Seattle’s Cactus League finale against the San Diego Padres on Monday.
Brash took the mound in the sixth and threw 0.2 innings. He allowed no hits, no runs, walked one batter and struck out two batters. He threw 12 pitches. Six were strikes.
According to a screenshot shared by Adam Jude of the Seattle Times, Brash threw his sinker six times, his fastball thrice and his changeup, slider and cutter once apiece. His velocity topped out at 98.5 mph with his sinker, which falls in line with his average velocity of 98.3 mph in 2023.
Jude shared a quote from Brash after his return:
“There’s a lot of emotions, and you’re thinking about a lot, but I feel like once I got back out there you kind of just get in game mode. … After I struck (out) the second guy … I kind of took it all in and I was like, ‘Wow, I’m back.'”
Brash will rejoin a back end of the bullpen that includes 2024 All-Star closer Andres Munoz, Collin Snider and Troy Taylor (when he returns from his own respective injury).
“Everyone has great stuff in that bullpen,” Brash said in an interview March 16. “We were a little banged up last year. And a lot of guys stepped up and filled in roles that they hadn’t done before and they did amazing. … It’ll be exciting once we’re all back and really see what that bullpen can be.”
