Mariners closer to a healthier 'pen with Taylor off IL, Brash rehabbing

CINCINNATI -- The Mariners brought a power arm back to their bullpen during Monday’s off-day, as right-hander Troy Taylor was activated from the 15-day injured list and will be available for this week’s series against the Reds.

Additionally, righty Matt Brash began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma on Sunday in what represents his final steps towards a nearly one-year road to recovery from Tommy John surgery.

In a corresponding roster move, reliever Casey Lawrence was designated for assignment, which brought the Mariners’ 40-man roster to 39.

Taylor began the year on the IL with a right lat strain that he suffered in the leadup to Spring Training. He made five rehab appearances with Tacoma, allowing six earned runs, nine hits and one walk with four strikeouts over 3 1/3 innings.

“It was more like a feel thing,” Taylor said before Tuesday’s series opener at Great American Ball Park. “It was kind of like Spring Training. The first couple didn't go great, but the last two I felt like myself again -- throwing hard, throwing strikes, attacking the zone. So that was probably the biggest thing that I wanted to see.”

Taylor’s fastball was up to 97.4 mph in his final tuneup on Sunday, when he pitched two-thirds of an inning ahead of Brash, who was up to 97.3 mph and surrendered one hit with one strikeout over a scoreless fifth. Brash’s rehab probably won’t be a quick one, as the Mariners will want to see how he bounces back from each outing.

“Rehab, no matter how big or small, that's always something that thought creeps into your mind -- like, I might not be able to throw as hard as I once did,” Taylor said. “But I thought I showed that I can.”

Both arms could be a boon to a Seattle bullpen that has been heavily taxed through the season’s first two and a half weeks but rebounded in a big way on the club’s 5-1 homestand. Over that stretch, Mariners relievers had a combined 1.78 ERA and held the Rangers and Astros to a .580 OPS.

Taylor probably won’t be thrust into leverage right away, but he could get there quickly once he finds his footing. After all, he became one of the most trusted relievers in those pockets down the stretch last year -- even as a rookie -- under manager Dan Wilson, who took over on Aug. 22.

Taylor made his MLB debut 11 days before that and finished the season with a 3.72 ERA (99 ERA+, where league average is 100), with 25 strikeouts, seven walks and a .691 opponents’ OPS in 19 1/3 innings.

How Wilson manages leverage situations has been one of the more intriguing components to his role in his first full season at the helm, especially given that some strategies are far different than those of predecessor Scott Servais.

“When you look at bullpen usage, and obviously I'm still learning that myself, you have to balance leverage,” Wilson said. “You have to balance rest. There's a lot of things that you have to take into account.”

For example, All-Star closer Andrés Mu?oz has only been deployed in the ninth or extra innings, where in years past, he might have been turned to earlier in games if that’s when the stakes were the highest. Trent Thornton, meanwhile, has made five of his eight appearances as the eighth-inning setup man despite most of his innings last year coming in low leverage. He's also surrendered two homers in those pockets.

Carlos Vargas, who broke camp primarily because he was on the 40-man and out of Minor League options, has since climbed the leverage ladder. So, too, has Eduard Bazardo, who essentially only pitched last year when the Mariners had a sizable lead or deficit. Those pockets were somewhat expected to be filled by Gregory Santos, but his command issues have persisted.

Gabe Speier, meanwhile, has been used primarily against lefties, though his 0.00 ERA and 36.4 percent strikeout rate suggest he might be destined for an enhanced role.

All of it is to say that many factors are being considered when more roster crunches arise.

“You don't want to put pressure on guys, but at the same time, there are some health situations coming up,” Wilson said, “and we'll just see how it all shakes out. But certainly guys are aware of what's going on, too.”