Seattle Mariners’ Acquisition Gregory Santos to Begin Season on Injured List

Despite being acquired by the Seattle Mariners in the offseason to bolster their bullpen, reliever Gregory Santos will be sidelined at the start of the season due to a setback in his recovery from a lat issue. BRADY FARKASMAR 12, 2024 3:36 PM EDT In this story: Seattle Mariners SEATTLE MARINERS Seattle Mariners’ reliever Gregory Santos will commence the season on the injured list after experiencing a setback in his recuperation from a lat issue.

According to Shannon Drayer of Seattle Sports 710:

Gregory Santos was removed from a bullpen session yesterday due to discomfort in his lat area. An MRI revealed a mild lat strain, rendering him unavailable for opening day.

Santos had been grappling with a lingering lat problem, and now his placement on the injured list deals another blow to the Seattle bullpen. Acquired from the Chicago White Sox this spring, the Mariners had high hopes for Santos, envisioning him as a key component alongside Andres Munoz and Matt Brash in fortifying the back end of the bullpen. However, with both Brash and Santos sidelined to commence the season, Seattle faces challenges in bullpen depth.

The 24-year-old Santos made his major league debut in 2021 with the San Francisco Giants, accumulating a 2-4 record with a 4.00 ERA. Last season, he notched five saves, concluding the year as the White Sox closer.

With Santos and Brash sidelined, the composition of the Mariners’ bullpen becomes uncertain. While Munoz, Gabe Speier, Tayler Saucedo, Austin Voth, and Trent Thornton appear to have secured spots, the remaining positions remain up for grabs. Carlos Vargas, a hard-throwing pitcher acquired in the offseason, could now emerge as a viable option for the Mariners.

Following a promising 88-74 record last season, narrowly missing the playoffs by one game, the Mariners are determined to return to postseason contention for the first time since 2022.