ESPN Insider Provides Glass Half-Full Outlook on Recent Injury Concern For Matt Brash

The Seattle Mariners got through a six-game road trip in dominant fashion, finishing with a 5-1 record and recording series wins against the St. Louis Cardinals and the Minnesota Twins, respectively.

The Mariners were able to improve to .500 (16-16) with the road trip but may have lost one of their best arms out of the bullpen in the process.

Right-handed reliever Matt Brash was pulled two pitches into his outing in the eighth inning Wednesday against the Twins due to what was later confirmed as right side discomfort.

Brash underwent further testing, including imaging, Thursday after the M's returned to Seattle for its off-day.

Following his early pull, the 27-year-old right-handed reliever was confident in his early exit being precautionary and was hopeful the injury wasn't serious.

In a recent episode of the "Refuse to Lose" podcast, hosted by Roundtable Sports' own Brady Farkas, ESPN insider Buster Olney echoed a sentiment that the Mariners could simply be being proactive.

"When you see something like (Brash's injury), you wince," Olney said on the Refuse to Lose podcast. " ... It has felt like that, while (Andres Munoz) has been the overall reliever that gets the most attention with the Mariners because he's the closer, it feels like Matt Brash is the true fireman and has been at times. If Dan Wilson had a rally that he was gonna try and get out of or wanted to put up a "zero" following a Seattle three-spot, Brash was that guy. Someone that could carry you through the tough part of the lineup. So it is a concern. But I also think you got to think big picture. You understand that every team is going through that right now. ... I think the way teams look at it as part of the season is having to absorb a huge ton of injuries. Years ago, the great surgeon Dr. James Andrews once told me that as the medicine in baseball gets better, the injured lists are going to get longer. ... What he was referring to was the ability to diagnose injuries and degrees of injuries. If you're the Mariners, and Brash comes off the field, you have the chance to catch this before it becomes a major problem."