Could potentially impactful Mariners reliever Gregory Santos return soon?
SEATTLE – It feels like forever ago, doesn’t it, when the Mariners introduced Gregory Santos as a tantalizing back-end-of-the-bullpen option?
When he’s healthy, Santos does possess high-end, high-leverage potential, which is why the idea of his return to the Mariners bullpen remains intriguing, and maybe even important.
But the 25-year-old right-hander has been mostly a mere concept — a myth, even — in his time with the Mariners, and a wait-and-see approach on his availability for a postseason push is probably prudent.
All that said, the Mariners hope Santos can be a factor for them again sometime in the next few weeks.
“I would anticipate mid-September back to the major-league environment,” general manager Justin Hollander said Friday afternoon. “Again, a lot of error bars there, (it’s) written in pencil, but something like mid-September.”
Santos appeared in seven games for the Mariners early in the season but has been on the injured list since April 26 because of a knee injury that required surgery to repair cartilage damage.
Earlier this summer, Santos returned home to the Dominican Republic for a personal matter, and he was cleared to resume throwing in early August.
He’s been throwing bullpen sessions recently at the Mariners complex in Arizona.
“He had a really good week last week,” Hollander said. “Would anticipate a rehab assignment with that leading into what is hopefully a September return, depending on how long it takes to rehab assignment in terms of how he’s feeling, how he responds to ramping up days of rest, things like that.”
Santos had a breakthrough season with the Chicago White Sox in 2023, posting a 3.39 ERA with five saves with a 66-to-17 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 66 1/3 innings. His two-seam fastball averaged 98.8 mph that season, and his wipeout slider ranked as one of baseball’s very best.
The Mariners, though, haven’t seen anything close to that version of Santos since they acquired him in a February 2024 (when they sent minor-leaguers Prelander Berroa and Zach DeLoach to Chicago).
Santos has missed 228 games in two seasons in Seattle. He’s appeared in 16.
His 2024 season was largely lost because of a series of injuries — a lat strain, biceps inflammation and elbow inflammation.
He had a rocky start this season, posting a 5.41 ERA over seven innings. He faced 36 batters; he walked eight of them and didn’t record a single strikeout. He was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma on April 16 and landed on the IL two weeks later.
Evans to resume throwing
Rookie right-hander Logan Evans had a cortisone shot in his throwing elbow to help reduce swelling after landing on the 15-day IL last week.
Evans is scheduled to resume throwing in the next few days, Hollander said.
“You know how this goes: However long he’s down without throwing is how long roughly it takes to build back up,” Hollander said. “So hopefully we get that going in the next couple days to allow him to minimize the downtime.”
Robles’ appeal pending
Hollander had no update on the status of Victor Robles’ appeal of a 10-game suspension handed down by MLB earlier this week.
Robles, on a rehab assignment, was not in the lineup for the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers on Thursday.
Robles received the 10-game suspension and a fine after throwing his bat at Las Vegas Aces pitcher Joey Estes during a Rainiers game Sunday.
Robles has appealed the suspension through the Players Association.
“This is sort of a Victor, the league and the Players Association (situation), and we’re just a bystander on that,” Hollander said. ”We would obviously love to get clarity sooner rather than later on what that looks like. Right now, what we know is 10 games will start when he’s activated from the IL.”
Worth noting: The Athletics recalled Estes from Triple-A on Friday afternoon before starting a three-game series at T-Mobile Park.