Prior to yesterday’s game, the Mariners placed right-hander Yimi Garcia on the 15-day injured list due to inflammation in his throwing elbow. The placement is retroactive to August 20. Left-hander Gabe Speier was called up from Triple-A Tacoma in the corresponding move.
This is the second time Garcia has hit the IL this season due to an elbow-related issue, as ulnar neuritis cost him about a month of action prior to the All-Star break when Garcia was still a member of the Blue Jays. He made two appearances after that initial activation, and the Mariners were satisfied enough with his health to then acquire the veteran reliever in a trade with Toronto on July 26. After posting a 2.57 ERA in his first seven innings and appearances out of Seattle’s bullpen, Garcia has allowed four runs over his last three appearances (two IP), and it is safe to guess that his elbow problems contributed to those recent struggles.
The backdated placement has already shortened Garcia’s IL stint from the minimum 15 days, but he’ll still be out until September. Given that there isn’t much time left in the regular season, there is natural concern about when or if Garcia might pitch again, should his inflammation linger deeper into September. Even missing “only” a month a la his previous IL placement would still represent a big chunk of the final stretch, leaving the Mariners short one of their key deadline additions as the team tries to get its season back on track.
Beyond just the 2024 campaign, the 34-year-old Garcia is scheduled to hit free agency this winter, so two elbow-related injuries won’t help him in the open market even if his overall numbers have been solid. Garcia has a 3.46 ERA over 39 combined innings with Seattle and Toronto this season, along with a very impressive 32% strikeout rate. That K% is a new personal best for Garcia over his 10 MLB seasons, though he has also received some good fortune in the form of a .202 BABIP and his 7.8% walk rate is his highest in the last four years.