Brash has allowed five earned runs on four hits and four walks while recording two strikeouts across 1.1 innings in two Cactus League appearances this spring.
The right-hander is looking to carve out a relief role during spring training but has seen his usual control issues rear their head over a small sample. Brash worked out of the bullpen from July 9 onward last season upon being called up from Triple-A Tacoma and acquitted himself well, posting a 3-1 record, 2.35 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, nine holds and a 12.6 K/9 across 30.2 innings, albeit while also generating a bloated 4.7 BB/9.
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Mariners' Matt Brash: Coming to camp as reliever
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President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto said Brash will be competing for a relief role on Seattle's Opening Day roster during spring training, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
Brash began last season as a member of Seattle's rotation before moving to the bullpen in May after being roughed up through his first five starts. He turned in much better results as a reliever (2.35 ERA, 1.24 WHIP in 30.2 innings), but Seattle was still expected to entertain the idea of letting the 24-year-old audition for a rotation spot heading into 2023. However, with Brash set to spend some time away from the Mariners' spring camp while pitching for Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic, Dipoto suggested that the right-hander won't be built up for starting duty and will instead continue to work out of the bullpen. If Brash doesn't gain traction in a high-leverage gig out of the big-league bullpen early in the season, the Mariners could send him to the minors and transition him back to a starting role.
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Mariners' Matt Brash: Will remain reliever in 2023
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Brash will continue to pitch in relief in 2023, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Timesreports.
Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto told reporters that Brash continuing to pitch in relief is part of the agreement made between the two when Brash asked to pitch for Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic. After making the move to the bullpen, the right-hander impressed with a 2.35 ERA, and 43:16 K:BB over 34 appearances. Brash isn't likely to get save opportunities in 2023, but he's someone to have on the fantasy radar because of his elite potential to miss bats.
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Mariners' Matt Brash: Takes fourth loss Sunday
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Brash (3-4) took the loss against the Rangers on Sunday, allowing two earned runs on two hits and a wild pitch over two-thirds of an inning.
Brash's control has been one of his Achilles heels thus far in his professional career, and that surfaced somewhat again Sunday. Entrusted with preserving a 3-3 tie when he entered in the seventh, Brash retired Josh Smith and Marcus Semien to open the frame before surrendering a double to Corey Seager, advancing him to third on a wild pitch and subsequently conceding an RBI single to Adolis Garcia. He was also charged post-exit with the run Garcia scored on the double Erik Swanson surrendered to Nathaniel Lowe, making it the first time Brash had given up multiple earned runs in an outing since his May 4 against the Astros.
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Mariners' Matt Brash: Multi-inning effort for third win
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Brash (3-3) picked up the victory in an extra-innings win over the Yankees on Tuesday, firing two scoreless frames in which he didn't allow any hits, issued two walks and recorded three strikeouts.
While his location wasn't always the sharpest, Brash navigated the 12th and 13th innings successfully over a total of 29 pitches. The right-hander has now put together six consecutive scoreless relief appearances since being recalled from Triple-A Tacoma on July 28, a sample of 6.1 innings.
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Mariners' Matt Brash: Optioned to Triple-A
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Brash was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma on Tuesday.
Brash will return to Triple-A after he appeared in five games following a promotion July 9, surrendering two runs on five hits and four walks while striking out six over 5.1 innings. The right-hander remains one of the Mariners' top prospects and will likely return to the big leagues at some point down the line.
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Mariners' Matt Brash: Gets second win Saturday
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Brash (2-3), recalled from Triple-A Tacoma earlier in the day, secured the win over the Blue Jays on Saturday, firing a perfect seventh inning during which he recorded two strikeouts.
The starter-turned-reliever worked up to 25 pitches in his one frame, but that was largely due to a 13-pitch encounter with Lourdes Gurriel that included nine foul balls but ultimately culminated in a strikeout. Brash proved well-suited for relief work during his just-concluded 22-appearance stint with the Rainiers, with the bullpen role seemingly helping him to harness his unpredictable control somewhat better.
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Mariners' Matt Brash: Returns in relief role
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Brash was recalled by the Mariners on Saturday, Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports.
Brash made the Mariners' Opening Day rotation and flashed impressive stuff at times, but he would up being demoted after struggling to a 7.65 ERA and 17.9 percent walk rate in five starts. He's pitched exclusively out of the bullpen in 26 innings for Triple-A Tacoma, where his 38.3 percent strikeout rate has been enough to offset a 13.1 percent walk rate, leading to a 3.46 ERA. He should continue to pitch in relief for the big-league club.
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Mariners' Matt Brash: Showing improvement at Tacoma
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Brash has gone 11 straight relief outings of an inning apiece at Triple-A Tacoma without allowing an earned run, Brent Stecker of 710 ESPN Seattle reports.
Brash was knocked around for five earned runs over one inning by Sacramento back on May 22, but he began his current scoreless streak in his next outing May 25. The promising right-hander opened the season as the Mariners' fifth starter before control issues lead to a May 5 demotion to Tacoma, where he's transitioned to the bullpen after the team decided it would be the role he'd be best suited for this season. Stecker notes Brash hasn't allowed so much as a single walk in 10 of the aforementioned 11 appearances, including six straight.
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Mariners' Matt Brash: Set for bullpen role in minors
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Brash will pitch out of the bullpen to begin his time at Triple-A Tacoma, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
The right-hander served mainly as a starter in the minors last year, and his first five big-league appearances this season came in a starting role. Although manager Scott Servais said Brash's move to the bullpen isn't necessarily permanent, the team will see whether the transition helps him perform better. He had a 7.65 ERA over 20 innings for Seattle, and a timetable for the 23-year-old's return to the majors will likely depend on how he fares in Tacoma.
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Mariners' Matt Brash: Picks up first win
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Brash (1-1) got the win during Sunday's 7-2 victory over Houston, allowing two runs on two hits and six walks with five strikeouts in 5.1 innings.
Despite the win, Brash struggled with his control and was aided by four double plays from the Seattle defense that erased four of his six walks. Houston finally got to the rookie with a two-run Michael Brantley home run in the sixth, but at that point the 23-year-old was already staked to a six-run lead. He's tentatively set to face the Royals on Saturday for his next turn.
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Mariners' Matt Brash: Impresses again Sunday
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Brash fired three scoreless innings in a Cactus League win over the Athletics on Sunday, recording six strikeouts.
The surging right-hander made yet another excellent case for inclusion into the starting rotation, with Danie Kramer of MLB.com reporting Brash utilized all of his high-90s fastball, slider/curveball combination and even a changeup with great effectiveness. Brash's heater also hit 98 mph consistently, leaving him satisfied with how his arsenal is coming along. "The slider is getting there," Brash said. "It usually takes me a little bit, but it was definitely a lot better today and I threw a lot of curveballs; mixed in both today. But yeah, I'm getting a feel for both pitches."
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Mariners' Matt Brash: Pushing for rotation spot
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Brash, who started Monday's Cactus League loss to the Diamondbacks and fired two scoreless innings, is pushing to secure the Mariners' final rotation spot, Daniel Kramer of MLB.com reports.
Brash got a fleeting first taste of the big leagues late last season, getting a call up from Double-A Arkansas during the final week but never appearing in a game. Despite his time with the Travelers qualifying as his highest level of professional ball yet, Brash, who allowed just a hit and a walk to the eight batters he faced Monday and flashed a 97.7 mph fastball, believes he can successfully make the jump right from the start of the campaign. The 23-year-old has yet to post an ERA higher than 2.55 in any of his five minor-league stops and also possesses an elite slider and an improving changeup in his arsenal.
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Mariners' Matt Brash: To make MLB debut in relief
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Brash is set to make his big-league debut Tuesday in relief against the Athletics, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
He is expected to piggyback lefty Tyler Anderson, who will be starting Tuesday on short rest. Brash has been shooting up prospect lists this season, emerging as one of the best pitching prospects in a Mariners system that has a ton of talent. The 23-year-old righty has a 1.91 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 101:29 K:BB over his last 70.2 innings across High-A and Double-A. Given the nature of his expected usage Tuesday, Brash could get a win if the Mariners hand him a lead and he pitches well.
