Bryan Woo deals with shoulder soreness in victory

There was plenty of reason to suspect that Woo would wind up requiring a trip to the injured list after experiencing shoulder soreness during his previous outing against the Astros back on August 16. The 26-year-old was able to complete a bullpen session over the weekend without any issues and should be ready to take the ball later this week. Obviously, fantasy managers should keep a close eye on his status in the coming weeks.

Woo, who experienced shoulder soreness in his last start, was apparently encouraged by his performance today, but it doesn’t sound like he’s pain-free. Ideally, he’d face the Phillies on Wednesday, but that probably hinges on how he feels tomorrow.

Anderson tossed a clean first inning, collecting his first career strikeout on Alex Bregman to end the inning. He worked around a walk in the second inning, then tossed a clean third with the help of a spectacular home run robbery by Randy Arozarena. Anderson gave up his first hit to lead off the fourth, then surrendered his first run on a walk, a hit, and a sacrifice fly in the fifth. Despite being at 72 pitches and never having thrown more than 80 this season, he returned for the sixth, facing the order for a third time, and gave up back-to-back solo homers to Alex Bregman and Michael Busch, knocking him from the game with two outs at 81 pitches. Still, it was an impressive debut overall for the talented 22-year-old right-hander. He’ll get a chance to build on his solid first start with a matchup against the Blue Jays in Toronto next weekend.

It’s time. Anderson’s meteoric rise concludes with his major-league debut against the Cubs on Saturday following an unprecedented 18-start run at Double-A Arkansas where he compiled a microscopic 1.06 ERA, 0.64 WHIP and 135/13 K/BB ratio across 93 1/3 innings in his professional debut. The 22-year-old southpaw, who was the third-overall selection in last year’s draft, offers enough strikeout upside to be relevant in all fantasy formats over the final five weeks of the season. His signature offering is an upper-80s slider that he can consistently land in the strike zone for strikes, while also burying it below the zone to generate whiffs as a putaway pitch. It’s so early in his long-term development trajectory that fantasy managers should keep realistic expectations in check, but it’s not hyperbolic to assert that Anderson is unquestionably one of the more exciting, front-of-the-rotation caliber pitching prospects to reach the big leagues in recent memory. He’s long gone in most competitive fantasy leagues and should remain rostered until further notice.

Woo had been scheduled to start in Sunday’s series finale against the Cubs, but Bryce Miller will move up a day to take that assignment instead. As of now, it sounds like Woo will work back into the rotation at some point next week, but it’s also possible that the shoulder soreness that he’s experiencing could ultimately land him on the injured list. Fantasy managers should be sure to have a contingency plan in place for next week.

And the fantasy managers rejoiced. The 22-year-old southpaw will make his highly anticipated MLB debut on Saturday against the Cubs. Anderson, the third overall selection from the 2025 MLB draft, has compiled a brilliant 1.06 ERA, 0.64 WHIP and a 135/13 K/BB ratio across 93 1/3 innings in 18 starts at Double-A Arkansas this season. He should be rostered in all fantasy leagues and is expected to make an immediate impact for the M’s and for fantasy managers over the final six weeks of the season.

The runs came on solo homers from Jeremy Peña and Nick Allen. With Seattle’s pen holding on to a one-run lead, Woo earned his ninth win, though just his second on the road. He had been 1-8 with a 6.22 ERA in 13 starts outside of Seattle. Woo will get a home start next time out against the Cubs.

Woo had his first good road start in three months tonight, but it didn’t matter. He departed with a 1-0 lead and then watched the Yankees score four times in the seventh. Woo is due to pitch on the road again Sunday against the Astros. If the Mariners call up Kade Anderson and push Woo back, he’d still pitch on the road Tuesday in Milwaukee.

The time to stash Anderson was weeks, if not months, ago. Now, his arrival in Seattle appears imminent, especially after the Mariners jettisoned veteran Luis Castillo at the trade deadline earlier this week. The 22-year-old pitching phenom, who was selected third overall in last year’s draft, has authored one of the most dominant professional debuts in recent memory, posting a microscopic 1.13 ERA and 0.65 WHIP with a staggering 128/12 K/BB ratio across 87 2/3 innings. Seattle can promote Anderson later next week while preserving his rookie eligibility for next season. Mariners president Jerry Dipoto told reporters earlier this week that he will work as a traditional starter, and won’t pitch in relief, when he jumps to the big leagues. At this point, all signs point toward Anderson making his major-league debut next week. Simply put, he has nothing left to prove in the minors and represents a must-roster arm in all fantasy leagues.

Woo struck out five and walked one. He moved to 7-0 with a 1.96 ERA in 10 home starts, compared to 1-8 with a 6.71 ERA on the road. He’ll be back on the road next week against the Yankees. He might be in line for two starts next week, including one in Houston, if the Mariners decide to hold off on adding a certain someone as a sixth starter.