The Seattle Mariners announced Wednesday morning that they have activated RHP Matt Brash off the 15 day injured list, where he’d been healing from inflammation in his right lat. Correspondingly, LHP Robinson Ortiz was optioned back to Triple-A Tacoma. Brash made a pair of rehab assignments with the Rainiers, having been out since the first of May.
It’s a huge relief to see Brash back in close to the minimum needed time. The righty was sharp in the first month of the season, helping quell threats and bridging the gap between starters and closer Andrés Muñoz. Since Brash went down, Seattle has had to lean on some of their less-heralded options in the pen, and to their credit they’ve largely stepped up. Jose Ferrer has been sterling, while Alex Hoppe, Cooper Criswell, Domingo Gonzalez, and Nick Davila have been quite effective, albeit in mostly low-leverage usage. However, extended usage and thinness among the more trusted arms has likely contributed to seeing some M’s starters left in long enough to blemish their numbers. Brash’s return also may take some heat off Eduard Bazardo, who has been taxed heavily over the past, well, year and a half.
Ortiz will sadly have to wait even longer for his first big league moment. The 26 year old southpaw has been a professional baseball player for 10 years and got to spend Tuesday night as a big leaguer at last. For his sake, hopefully the southpaw merits another opportunity to turn his spectral cup of coffee into one with genuine form.