The Mariners announced that right-hander Jackson Kowar has been reinstated from the 60-day injured list. The 40-man roster had a vacancy due to right-hander Jesse Hahn being designated for assignment last week but is now full. To open an active roster spot, righty Logan Evans has been optioned to Triple-A Tacoma.
Kowar, 28, has been with the Mariners for over a year but will be making his team debut whenever he gets into a game. He was acquired from Atlanta in December of 2023 but required Tommy John surgery in March of 2024. He spent all of last year and the first few months of this year on the IL.
Prior to going under the knife, he had shown promise with a recent change in role. A starter for most of his career, he showed a velocity bump while moving to a relief role in 2023. He had averaged around 95.7 miles per hour with his fastball as a starter but got that up to 97 mph out of the bullpen. The results didn’t immediately click, as he had a 6.43 earned run average that year, as well as subpar strikeout and walk rates of 21.2% and 14.6%.
Still, the M’s clearly feel there are good ingredients to work with. After the Royals flipped Kowar to Atlanta as part of the Kyle Wright deal, the M’s grabbed him as part of the Jarred Kelenic deal. They kept him on the roster throughout the winter, when there’s no IL, so they’re surely hoping their patience will pay off now that he’s healthy.
Evans got called up about a month ago, making his major league debut as the M’s dealt with various rotation injuries. He generally performed well, with a 2.83 ERA over six starts. Looking under the hood, there are some less impressive numbers, such as a 17.4% strikeout rate. But as far as injury replacements go, the M’s have to be thrilled with what Evans gave them.
The rotation has been getting healthier of late. George Kirby is now off the IL. It seems like Bryce Miller and Logan Gilbert are nearing returns as well. The M’s could therefore have their ideal quintet shortly, with Luis Castillo and Bryan Woo the other two pieces. Evans has been bumped into a depth role for now, while Emerson Hancock could be next.
Photo courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images
Net loss
Bryce Miller will take Evans’ next start. Kowar is an extra bullpen arm. Good problem to have to send guys like Emerson Hancock and Logan Evans to the minors.
How’s that?
7 inn on rehab outings? thats it??
He better be throwing 99
how many innings does a bullpen arm need to throw in rehab? thats 7 outings.
Why Logan? He pitched a great game lastnight. Who are they going to option when Miller and Gilbert are ready?
Hancock and a reliever of some sort. Besides, they can’t use Evans for the next 4 days anyway; why take up the roster spot if you can add a fresh bullpen arm?
Because Logan won’t pitch for 4 days and never hurts to have another arm in the pen. He’ll probably be up for his next start and Castano will go down. Evans and Hancock probably go to AAA and stay stretched out whenever Gilbert and Miller return
“The results didn’t immediately click” the results never clicked
I want to see them go get Chris Taylor. Good bat and can play numerous positions
Chris Taylor is an angel.
Dylan Moore is outplaying Taylor at this point of his career.
Gotta keep Logan Evans busy. I assume they’ll play tag between Hancock and him until they’re absolutely sure the three injured starters are fully healthy, and Miller might not be until surgery after the season to get rid of that spur. As for Kowar, I guess they see something special. Assuming Bazardo and Thornton are next.
And when in doubt, Casey Freaking Lawrence.
Thornton is on the IL. I don’t think we’ll see him anytime soon, but they don’t have to DFA him. They could move him to the 60.
Thorton is throwing bullpen sessions and likely to start minor league rehab next week. He won’t be moved to 60 day IL
I just saw that. Nothing is definitive, though, and there isn’t a clear spot on the roster for him.
I’d be surprised if they don’t max out his rehab assignment.
Wrong move
They should keep Evans not debut a rookie. Seems Evans should be rewarded for his good pitching.
You have your story pretty messed up here. Kowar is not debuting nor is he a rookie, and he’s also a reliever so he won’t be starting. Evans was going to be sent down when Bryce Miller returns this week anyway.
Great move by the Mariners. The announcers talked about his high innings count last start (great game he pitched) and now they can slow his innings down and save him for later this year.
Kirby wasn’t good in his rehab starts and just got lit for the second time since his return.
I wonder if he might return to the IL. That would allow them to recall Evans for his next start.
They do need to handle Evans carefully, but they did the same with Woo last year, so surely they could do the same with Evans.
They could reassess when Gilbert returns.