The Seattle Mariners will begin their ALDS matchup against the Detroit Tigers without one of their best arms. Bryan Woo, who has dealt with right pectoral inflammation since mid-September, was left off the Mariners ALDS postseason roster, a decision confirmed just hours before Game 1.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale took to X (formerly known as Twitter), crediting The Seattle Times’ Adam Jude for first reporting the news, posting the following.
“Seattle Mariners ace Bryan Woo, who has been dealing with pectoral inflammation, is left off the ALDS roster, per @A_Jude.”
The injury timeline began on September 19, when Woo exited a start against the Houston Astros after five innings. He missed his final regular-season outing, and though he threw a bullpen session on October 2, the injury update showed Woo wasn’t fully ready. Rather than risk long-term damage or lose postseason flexibility, the team opted to leave him off the roster while keeping him eligible for a potential ALCS return.
This decision forced immediate adjustments to the club's playoff rotation plans. George Kirby gets the Game 1 nod, followed by Trey Yesavage, and Shane Bieber in Game 3. Should the series reach four or five games, Bryce Miller is the leading candidate to start, with Emerson Hancock and Logan Evans available in long relief.
Woo’s absence is a major blow. The 25-year-old right-hander went 15-7 with a 2.94 ERA and 198 strikeouts over 186.2 innings during the regular season, delivering one of the most impressive campaigns by a Mariners starter in recent memory. Without him, added pressure falls on the rest of the rotation to navigate a Mariners vs. Tigers series that features elite arms on both sides.
While fans were eager to see Woo lead the rotation, the Mariners made a forward-looking call prioritizing both health and roster flexibility. In a high-stakes five-game series, one injury decision could shift the entire outcome. Losing a top arm like Woo is never easy, but the club is hoping that cautious planning and long-term thinking now will pay off later in October, especially if they advance to the ALCS and need him at full strength.
