Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Trent Thornton (46) pitches to the Texas Rangers during the sixth inning at T-Mobile Park on April 11. Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Important Seattle Mariners Reliever Nearing Big Step in Return From Scary Injury

Originally posted on Seattle Mariners on SI
By Brady Farkas | Last updated May 22, 2025 9:45 AM ET

CHICAGO - On the injured list since May 6 with appendicitis, Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Trent Thornton says he's feeling much better.

"Better, yeah. I mean, I think I'm going to be able to get off the mound for the first time tomorrow (Thursday) and kind of step on it a little bit," Thornton said on Wednesday."But, yeah, recovery has been going pretty well. Like, each days been able to build the intensity and kind of test my core a little bit more and more, but feeling a lot better."

Thornton also detailed what he went through, starting with what he thought were stomach cramps when the team was playing the Athletics in West Sacramento (May 5-7).

So, that whole series in Sacramento. Like, I'm in the bullpen talking to some guys: 'Man, my stomach's killing me. It's not, like, nauseous. It's like a horrible cramp. I'm thinking, it'll go away. Like, it's just a cramp it'll be fine. Whoa. We fly back to Seattle, we have an off day. And, I wake up on that off day and, like, could barely roll out of bed. Like, my stomach was just, like the worst cramp imaginable, where, every step, you could just feel it throughout your body.

So I called the trainers, went to CVS to try to get some stomach medication, see if it was something like a virus or a bug or whatever. Hour goes by, no change. So, trainers say like 'hey, do some jumping jumps and tell me what you feel,' and like, my lower right abdomen just, I mean the whole body. He's like, 'Yeah, that's your appendix, you need go to the emergency room now.'

So show up to the hospital. And they're like, 'yeah, it's your appendix. We got gotta operate, like, now.' Because it started leaking, essentially. It didn't burst fully, but it was leaking whatever is in your appendix. So, yeah, it was not very enjoyable.

Thornton is a seven-year veteran of the Toronto Blue Jays and Mariners. This year, he's gone 1-0 with a 5.87 ERA. He says his arm feels great and he thinks he'll need just one rehab appearance when he's ready.

The Mariners will take on the Houston Astros on Thursday in Houston.

This article first appeared on Seattle Mariners on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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