PEORIA, Ariz. -- Bryan Woo was so efficient on Thursday that his Cactus League outing came to an end before he’d reached his targeted pitch threshold at this stage of Spring Training.

Woo wowed over four perfect innings, needing just 38 pitches to reach that mark while striking out five in a 4-2 win over the Brewers. So, after his day was done, he threw another dozen pitches in the home bullpen at the Peoria Sports Complex.

That practice used to be common in spring, specifically if a starter was hit hard and pulled during a runaway inning, well before accumulating their required workloads. Not so much anymore, with new rules that allow said pitchers to return for a clean inning.

For Woo, who was pushed back one day in the first of what could be many workload-management decisions early this season, it was somewhat paradoxical.

“We need to be careful, volume- and workload-wise,” manager Scott Servais said. “We certainly could have sent him out there for another inning today.”

Added Woo, tongue in cheek: “I wish I could do that every time.”

Also of note, Woo retired each of the three lefties he faced, for five total outs, which has been a pointed effort for the second-year starter after experiencing pronounced splits as a rookie. He limited righties to a .495 OPS in 191 plate appearances compared to a .928 OPS against 180 lefty batters, and lefties hit him hard in his first Cactus outing at Colorado.

“I'm just trying to, like last time, focus a little bit more just on competing,” Woo said. “I feel like the stuff will continue to get better if I just kind of focus on that. I feel like if I'm thinking about working on things or throwing everything, it's not going to be as good. Competing just kind of takes care of everything else.”

Woo reached 131 2/3 innings last year (including Minors), up from 57 the year prior, and the Mariners intend him to take another big leap in 2024. They’ll almost certainly manipulate their four off-days in April to re-slot their rotation and account for him more than any other pitcher, with decisions like Thursday’s hinting why.

“We really, I think, have a good plan going forward for him,” Servais said. “We've got to keep him healthy for the entire year and pitching into August and September and hopefully October. He's going to be a big part of it. I just like where he's at. Today, he was totally in control.”

Raleigh, Haniger go deep
Mitch Haniger and Cal Raleigh were among Seattle’s everyday players that were most eased into Cactus League action -- for Haniger, after another year besieged by injuries, and Raleigh, for the rigors he absorbed playing catcher every day down the stretch.

It’s probably not a coincidence that each have been among Seattle’s most productive in camp, with both homering again on Thursday.

“They both have really good timing at the plate,” Servais said. “You don't know when that's going to come for guys.”

Haniger punched an opposite-field shot into the right-field bullpen on a fastball in a 1-1 count, and Raleigh, batting left-handed, ripped one with a helicopter cut just to the right of the batter’s eye on the berm. He also singled from the right side in the fourth, as the Mariners try to work him into such matchups in preparation of leaning on him more as they transition to a traditional starter-backup split at catcher.

“They're both seeing the ball really good, and Cal from both sides of the plate,” Servais said. “We've been able to get him a number of at-bats against left-handed pitching, which I think is really going to help him.”