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Logan Gilbert exits start with concerning injury

Originally posted on MLB on ClutchPoints
By Brayden Haena | Last updated Apr 26, 2025 3:54 AM ET

The Seattle Mariners’ pitching staff suffered another worrying blow on Friday night when ace Logan Gilbert exited his start after just three perfect innings against the Miami Marlins, citing right forearm tightness. Gilbert, who needed only 29 pitches to retire the first nine hitters, was replaced by Casey Lawrence to begin the fourth inning.

Seattle’s announcement offered few details beyond the initial diagnosis. Gilbert, 27, told reporters postgame that he had felt some discomfort while warming up but hoped it would ease once he got into the flow of the game. “Sometimes you just get going and it feels a little better. Tonight, it just didn’t,” Gilbert said. He is scheduled to undergo an MRI to determine the extent of the injury.

Manager Dan Wilson didn’t provide much further clarity after the game. “We’ll know more tomorrow,” Wilson said. Given the delicate nature of forearm injuries in pitchers, the Mariners will understandably proceed with extreme caution.

The Mariners ace might miss time

Seattle Mariners pitcher Logan Gilbert (36) throws against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning at Scottsdale Stadium. Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Before the early exit, Gilbert had continued to show why he’s been one of baseball’s most durable and consistent arms. Since making his debut in 2021, he had made 126 consecutive starts without an IL stint. He led Major League Baseball in innings pitched last season with 208.2 and entered Friday night leading the majors in strikeout rate at 38%. His fastball velocity Friday remained close to his season average, topping out at 95.4 mph compared to his usual 95.6.

The timing of Gilbert’s injury scare is brutal for Seattle. The Mariners are already without George Kirby, who has been sidelined since early March with shoulder inflammation but is beginning mound work again. Luis Castillo, Bryan Woo, and Bryce Miller have anchored the rotation so far, but depth has been tested with Emerson Hancock and Luis F. Castillo struggling in spot starts.

Despite Gilbert’s early brilliance, the Mariners couldn’t hold the lead. Dylan Moore provided an early spark with a solo home run off Cal Quantrill in the second inning, but a critical error by Moore in the fifth opened the floodgates for Miami. The Marlins scored six unearned runs in the inning and went on to hand Seattle an 8-4 defeat.

Gilbert entered the game with a 1-1 record and a 2.37 ERA through five starts, further establishing himself as one of the American League’s top arms. His early departure Friday cast a cloud over what had been another dominant performance.

Now, the Mariners will wait anxiously for results from Gilbert’s imaging. In a season where arm injuries have ravaged pitching staffs across baseball, Seattle will be hoping their ace avoided anything serious. With Kirby still weeks away from returning, losing Gilbert for an extended stretch would be a massive hurdle for a team hoping to stay in contention.

This article first appeared on MLB on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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