Bryan Woo earns rare road victory in Houston

Woo completed six innings in the win tonight, but he was only at 75 pitches, and it sounds like he would have continued if not for the shoulder issue getting him lifted as a precaution. Woo said after the game that he wasn’t concerned about it. Still, if he winds up on the IL, that would open up a spot for top prospect Kade Anderson. Anderson, though, should really be in the majors regardless.

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.

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.

Instead of pitching at home against the Twins, Woo had to face the Dodgers on the road as a result of Bryce Miller being pushed back. Woo struck out eight and allowed just three hard-hit balls, which likely would have led to a much better showing most nights. However, the Dodgers got two in the first on an overturned full count pitch to start the inning, a soft flyball single and then a two-run double from Mookie Betts. The other three runs came in the fourth on another walk, a soft infield single and a homer from Dalton Rushing. Those two walks were the only ones Woo issued, but they played a big role in him falling to 7-8 with a 4.56 ERA. He’s obviously better than this and he’ll probably show it during the final two months, but at this point, a third straight year with a sub-3.00 ERA will be nearly impossible to pull off.

It’s a welcome development for fantasy managers as Miller will be spared from having to face the Dodgers in Los Angeles. That honor goes to Bryan Woo instead. The 27-year-old righty is getting some extra rest after being tagged for five runs over 5 1/3 innings by the Rangers his last time out.

Mariners pitchers tend to have significant home-road splits, since T-Mobile Park is so tough on hitters, but Woo has taken it to extremes this year. He’s 6-0 with a 2.20 ERA at home and now 1-7 with a 6.52 ERA on the road after dropping this one. It seems sort of fluky; he has a 50/14 K/BB with eight homers allowed in 58 innings on the road, which wouldn’t typically add up to a 6.52 ERA. Still, it’s good to know that he’ll be back at home next week for his start versus the Twins.

The earned runs came in the sixth on solo homers from Rafael Devers and Willy Adames, which checked in at just 339 and 358 feet, respectively. Apart from that, Woo was really good in striking out seven. The unearned run was especially unearned. Technically, it scored on a Luke Raley error, but Luis Arraez only reached in the first place on what should have been a Cole Young error but was deemed a single because that’s just how the league likes it. Woo will pitch in Texas next week, which makes for an even more favorable matchup than most of his home starts.

Woo’s struggles on the road persisted in this one as he surrendered nine hits, including a second-inning solo shot to rookie Owen Caissie. He finished with five strikeouts and only issued one walk. The 26-year-old holds a bloated 6.28 ERA across 10 road starts while boasting a sparkling 2.10 mark across eight home outings this season.

Woo quieted the Angels’ bats over six shutout innings before giving up two hits with one out in the seventh. That would end his day at 106 pitches. He scattered four hits and one walk while striking out five. The two runners he left in the seventh would eventually come in to score. The 26-year-old right-hander will take a 4.17 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and a 97/19 K/BB ratio across 99 1/3 innings into a start against the Marlins in Miami next Wednesday.

Woo allowed six hits and two walks, needing 86 pitches (57 strikes) to get through four innings in a rare clunker. He finished with four strikeouts in his shortest outing since a three-inning blowup against the Cardinals on April 25. He draws a soft matchup Monday against the Angels, putting him in a prime position to rebound.