Mariners reliever Ken Giles will be out a few weeks due to a tendon injury in the middle finger of his throwing hand, manager Scott Servais told reporters (including Corey Brock of the Athletic). Needless to say, he won’t be ready for next Thursday’s Opening Day.
The injury will delay Giles’ team debut for a bit longer. The right-hander underwent Tommy John surgery while a member of the Blue Jays in October 2020. The M’s signed him to a two-year guarantee the following offseason knowing he wouldn’t be available during the 2021 campaign. The backloaded contract will pay Giles $5MM this season, a bargain price if he can rediscover his pre-injury form. (The deal also contains a $9.5MM club option for 2023).
Giles was rocked in four appearances with the Jays in 2020 before he went under the knife. The New Mexico native never appeared healthy in that minimal look, though, as his average fastball velocity had dropped more than two miles per hour relative to the prior season. It’s probably fair to look past that showing, and Giles was nothing short of dominant during the previous campaign.
In 2019, the former 7th-round draft pick worked 53 innings of 1.87 ERA ball for the Jays. Giles averaged 97 MPH on his heater and fanned an elite 39.9% of opposing hitters. He saved 23 games that season, his third consecutive year locking down 20+ contests. Like most relievers, Giles saw his production fluctuate a bit season-to-season, but he posted an ERA of 2.30 or lower in four of his first six MLB seasons.
If he can regain anything near that form post-surgery, Giles has the potential to be a key late-inning arms. The Mariners surprisingly had one of the league’s best bullpens last year, a big reason they won 90 games. Paul Sewald, Diego Castillo and Drew Steckenrider offer Servais an excellent trio of end-of-game options, but Seattle will be without Giles for at least the first few weeks of the season. The M’s also lost Casey Sadler, who was one of their best relievers in 2021, for the entire season to shoulder surgery.
Man, just like last year. Pitchers are dropping like flies with less than a week to go before the season starts. There are still a few established pitchers left unsigned. Teams better sign them up.
Dang he was lighting it up in ST too
Had a great 2019 season, millions of $ for a maybe in 2022, I’m glad I’m not footin the bill
I miss him in Toronto, he was a great closer to watch.
Giles must be punching himself in the face right now over this.
Hopefully not with his injured hand.
I’m just glad his injury isn’t the result of a self-inflicted punch in the face.
That you know of.
While it’s too bad he won’t be available to start the season, at least it isn’t his shoulder or elbow this time around. With that said, finger injuries can be really bad for pitchers; let’s hope it doesn’t linger and require surgery to fix. That could put him out for 3+ months. Seattle deserves a winner and Giles is being counted on to be a big part of them making it to the post season, especially with Sadler done for the year. At least Jerry didn’t panic and trade for Kimbrel.
Probably, with luck, just a small setback. But it reminds us that nothing ever stays just the way we like it.
Oh man, PLEASE don’t be another Evan White with constantly being injured. Kyle Lewis too. We at least need the latter two healthy to get where we want to go!