Matt Brash of the Seattle Mariners exited Wednesday's game against the Minnesota Twins after just two pitches due to discomfort in his side. The team will evaluate his condition further with imaging.
Key points
Matt Brash exited the game after two pitches.
He experienced discomfort in his side.
Dan Wilson described the removal as precautionary.
Brash will undergo imaging to assess the injury.
Dan WilsonMatt BrashSeattle MarinersMinnesota Twins
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 29: Matt Brash #47 of the Seattle Mariners walks to the dugout after pitching against the Minnesota Twins during the eighth inning of the game at Target Field on April 29, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Brash exited the game with an injury after throwing two pitches. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 29: Matt Brash #47 of the Seattle Mariners walks to the dugout after pitching against the Minnesota Twins during the eighth inning of the game at Target Field on April 29, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Brash exited the game with an injury after throwing two pitches. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mariners won Wednesday’s series finale against the Twins, giving them a 5-1 record on the road trip, but suffered a potentially serious loss in their bullpen. Matt Brash departed Wednesday’s game against Minnesota after throwing just two pitches with what manager Dan Wilson called “discomfort in his side.”
Brash entered with the game tied 2-2 in the eighth to face leadoff man Ryan Jeffers. His first pitch, which Jeffers fouled off, was a 96.3 mph sinker, which is about a full tick slower than his average, but not so much as to be immediately worrying. On replay, though, you can see Brash shrug a little after throwing the pitch:
Brash’s next pitch came up on Statcast as an 89 mph changeup, and it sailed past Cal Raleigh’s glove, clear to the backstop. Cal Raleigh immediately signaled for the trainer, who came out along with Dan Wilson. Once again, it was obvious on replay that Brash was wincing with that little shrug motion.
During the mound visit, Wilson did most of the talking, shaking his head: no, no, no, as Brash clearly argued to stay in. Speaking to the media postgame, Brash said he recognized he did need to come out of the game but was processing during the mound visit, thinking of the pitcher behind him who would be thrown into a difficult situation taking over mid-batter.
“I’ve never done that before,” said Brash post-game. “I was kind of like – not arguing with Dan, but he was telling me to come out, and I was trying to process in the moment. I didn’t want to put Gabe [] or anyone in a tough spot having to come in without warming up…I just knew I’d be hurting the team, not being able to compete at the best of my ability.”
“It was tough,” said Wilson. “He didn’t want to come out of the game, but it’s something where – he’s had a couple of days here, so we just didn’t want to take any chances. We’ll get a look at it tomorrow and go from there.”
Brash, who missed the 2024 season and the first month of 2025 recovering from Tommy John surgery, was pitching for the second day in a row and the fourth time in six days. The team has ramped Brash up slowly this spring post-injury, but with going short in the series opener and only completing five innings in yesterday’s game, and the close nature of each of the final two games, the leverage arms in the bullpen were relied upon heavily.
Postgame, Dan Wilson said that Brash is “fine,” but acknowledged he’s been battling “a little discomfort” in his right side, which is what prompted his removal from the game.
“I’m okay,” said Brash postgame. “I’ve been dealing with some side stuff for a couple days now. It bugged me a little yesterday in my outing, but I felt fine pregame today. But as soon as I put some effort into the ball, I could feel it.”
Brash said he could feel the discomfort yesterday in his outing, specifically on his fastball extension, but chalked it up to the cold, saying he felt good after his outing and felt good pregame today. It was only when warming up in the bullpen that he started to feel the discomfort returning, and recognized immediately something was off when he threw his first two pitches.
Oblique injuries can be tricky to diagnose, beginning as a nagging pain that comes and goes, and can easily get worse quickly. Brash said although he doesn’t think his injury is anything “super serious” and called today’s decision to remove him from the game “precautionary”, he recognizes the importance of not letting this specific injury get worse. On the Mariners pitching staff this season, has already demonstrated the difficulty of rehabbing an oblique, something Brash would be well familiar with. He’ll get imaging tomorrow and the team will know more then. This story will be updated when that information is made available.
“Sucks, for sure,” said a frustrated Brash. “It’s tough, but we’ll figure it out.”
Q&A
What injury did Matt Brash sustain during the game against the Twins?
Matt Brash experienced discomfort in his side, leading to his early exit from the game.
How did Matt Brash perform before leaving the game?
Brash threw two pitches, a 96.3 mph sinker and an 89 mph changeup, before being removed due to discomfort.
What did Mariners manager Dan Wilson say about Brash's condition?
Dan Wilson stated that Brash is 'fine' but has been dealing with a little discomfort in his right side.
What steps will the Mariners take to assess Matt Brash's injury?
The Mariners will conduct imaging on Brash to better understand the extent of his injury.
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