Brendan Ryan Sidelined; Luis Rodriguez Coming Back

Update: confirmed. Ryan could miss 2+ weeks.

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Brendan Ryan missed the entire weekend series against the Angels with a sore shoulder, the consequence of a collision with Adam Kennedy early last week. Because obviously the younger, more fit one would sustain the injury. Ryan was called day-to-day and Eric Wedge made it sound like he was on the verge of returning, but now Drayer suggests otherwise:

Looks like Brendan Ryan is heading to the DL and Luis Rodriguez is on his way. Should make it by game time as Rainiers are in Round Rock

There's nothing official yet, but there could be by the time I'm done writing this post. And I don't see any reason to doubt what Drayer says. I'd expect this move to be announced very shortly.

With Ryan, the hope is that there's nothing more seriously wrong than was initially suspected. He's felt some soreness when swinging, and ideally the team's just making a point of taking things easy on him so as not to risk more permanent damage. They can make this DL stint retroactive to last Thursday, which would clear Ryan to come back in a week and a half.

As for Rodriguez, he comes back up to the team he left in June. Rodriguez has dealt with injury problems of his own as an elbow issue limited him to ten games in the minors, but he's a known entity, and Eric Wedge probably loves the way he battles. All Luis Rodriguez does at the plate is battle. He usually loses the battle, but better to have fought and lost than never to have fought at all.

Not that I expect Rodriguez to play a bunch, mind you, since Jack Wilson's still hanging around. Wilson's started four consecutive games and is starting his fifth tonight, and while it's obviously a bad thing that Ryan has to go on the DL, at least this does give the team an opportunity to play Wilson more and try to make him appealing to somebody else. While Wilson is clearly limited and would never bring back a good prospect, he might prove desirable enough for another front office to take his remaining salary off the Mariners' hands, which is one of those things I don't actually really care about but support because, whatever, savings. It's important to save.

Hopefully Ryan's back around the end of next week. Until then, the M's will be a little weaker in the lineup, but not much weaker in the field. And upon Ryan's return, maybe Wilson gets dealt, or maybe Wilson sticks around and Kennedy goes away or Rodriguez drops back to the minors. Jeff Gray does still need a soccer buddy.