Before yesterday’s game, the Mariners placed right-handed Yimi Garcia on the 15-day injured list due to inflammation of his throwing arm. The placement is retroactive to August 20. Left-handed Gift of Speier was called up from Triple-A Tacoma in the corresponding move.

This is the second time Garcia has been placed on the injured list this season due to an elbow issue, as ulnar neuritis cost him about a month of playing time before the All-Star break when Garcia was still with the Blue Jays. He made two more appearances after that initial activation, and the Mariners were satisfied enough with his health to acquire the veteran reliever in a trade with Toronto on July 26. After posting a 2.57 ERA in his first seven innings and appearances as Seattle’s bullpen, Garcia allowed four runs in his last three appearances (two IP), and it’s safe to assume his elbow issues have contributed to these recent struggles.

The retroactive placement has already shortened Garcia’s IL stay from the 15-day minimum, but he will still be out until September. With not much time left in the regular season, there is naturally concern about when or if Garcia would be able to pitch again should his inflammation linger into September. Even if he were to miss “only” a month, like his previous IL placement, that would still be a big part of the final stretch, and the Mariners are missing one of their most important additions as the team tries to get its season back on track.

Beyond the 2024 season, Garcia, 34, is set to become a free agent this winter, so two elbow injuries won’t help him on the open market, even though his overall numbers have been solid. Garcia has a 3.46 ERA in 39 combined innings with Seattle and Toronto this season, as well as a very impressive 32% strikeout rate. That K% is a new personal best for Garcia in his 10 MLB seasons, though he also got lucky in the form of a .202 BABIP, and his 7.8% walk rate is his highest in the last four years.