Brash 'really happy' after resuming playing catch

PEORIA, Ariz. -- The Mariners got good news even before Tuesday’s first pitch.

With uncertainty surrounding the arm health of righty reliver Matt Brash, the man himself gave an update on his troublesome elbow, sharing that he played catch from 60 feet for 25 throws.

Brash was shut down after two bullpen sessions -- most recently on Feb. 20 -- and has been focusing on rehab since. Doctors had told him that surgery wasn’t needed, and playing catch Tuesday offered even more reasons for optimism.

“I was really curious how it was going to feel out there, but felt good. Obviously 60 feet or whatever is nothing crazy, but I was happy to be back on the field,” Brash told the Seattle Times. “I’m really happy with today. ... It felt really smooth there.”

He’s considered day to day and expects to throw every other day.

It’s been an odd 10 days or so for the 25-year-old, including a trip to Dallas for further evaluation.

“[I] just was really unsure there for a little bit what was going on, but glad I got a second opinion on it and kind of figured out what's going on,” he added.

Brash says he first started feeling something off about two weeks ago. He wasn’t do anything out of the ordinary, just the standard catch-play and bullpen sessions at training camp.

“It just got a little tight on me,” he recalled. “I haven’t really had elbow stuff before, so it was just a different feeling but wasn’t really that bad.”

Entering his third year in Seattle, the former fourth-round pick emerged in 2023 as he transitioned from some spot starts to relief.

Not only did Brash lead all MLB pitchers with 78 appearances, he particularly switched gears in the season’s second half. After the All-Star break, Brash’s ERA dropped from 3.50 to 2.60, and his opponents’ batting average plunged to .219 from .262.

Now it’s a matter of patience, which is what Spring Training is all about.

“The biggest way for me to contribute is just to be healthy in the field and however long that takes, it kind of is what it is,” Brash said. “Whatever the trainers and rehab guys want me to do, I'm just gonna follow their plan and get back healthy on the field.”