SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners are planning to activate ace Logan Gilbert from injured list to make the start during Monday’s home series opener against the Boston Red Sox, manager Dan Wilson said before Sunday’s game.
Gilbert went on the 15-day IL on April 26 with a flexor strain in his right elbow. The right-hander has made three rehab starts with Triple-A Tacoma since, most recently tossing five shutout innings with six strikeouts and only one hit and one walk allowed on Wednesday night.
Gilbert threw a bullpen session at T-Mobile Park on Friday in what was his final hurdle to clear before returning.
“Looking forward to obviously getting him back,” Wilson said. “It’s been a stretch without him and (it will) be good to get him back. And I think the rehab has gone really well, he’s in a good spot. It’s good timing for him.”
Gilbert built his pitch count up to 72 and reached 97.6 mph on his four-seam fastball in his last rehab outing. Wilson said the hope is that he can throw 80 or more pitches against the Red Sox.
“I think that’s a big advantage of getting that extra start down in Tacoma is that you’re able to make a little bit bigger impact here when you get back,” Wilson said.
Gilbert’s return figures to be a major boon for a Mariners rotation that recently had right-hander Bryce Miller go back on the 15-day IL with right elbow inflammation on Tuesday but also has seen George Kirby return to form over his past two starts.
Miller has a bone spur in his elbow and received a platelet-rich plasma injection on Tuesday. General manager Justin Hollander said Friday Miller is being shut down for two weeks and he could return in four to six weeks if all goes well.
After struggling through his first three starts back from the IL, Kirby struck out a career-high 14 batters over seven innings of two-run ball against the Angels last week and allowed two runs over five innings in the M’s 4-3 win over the Guardians on Saturday night.
“I think you feel like you’re sort of getting back to normal in some ways,” Wilson said of having Gilbert and Kirby back, “These guys over the years have proven just how solid they are, how experienced they are, how consistent they’ve been, and getting that back into your rotation is key.
Gilbert was 1-1 with a 2.37 ERA over 30 1/3 innings before going on the injured list for the first time in his career. He led MLB in innings pitched (208 2/3) and WHIP (.0887) while earning his first All-Star nod and a sixth-place finishing in AL Cy Young voting last season.
The Mariners wrap up three-game set against Cleveland with a chance for a sweep at 1:10 p.m. Sunday. Radio coverage on 710 AM Seattle Sports and the Seattle Sports app begins at noon with the pregame show.
©2025 Cox Media Group
