The Stage is Set For Logan Gilbert to Return to Seattle Mariners, But How Much Will He Help?

The Seattle Mariners appear set to return starting pitcher Logan Gilbert to the rotation this week against the Boston Red Sox, though it's unclear when exactly he'll get the ball at this time.

Gilbert has been out since the end of April with a Grade 1 flexor strain, and he's made three rehab starts at Triple-A Tacoma, going 0-0 with a 2.79 ERA in 9.2 innings. He's struck out 11 in that time.

Seeing Gilbert back on the mound will be a big boon for Seattle's psyche, but there are obvious questions. Will he be able to hold his velocity deep into a start? Will he still throw his splitter at the same 21 percent rate that he did before his injury, or will he back off considering it causes more strain on the forearm? How high can his pitch count get, and how will he feel afterwards?

And just, in general, how much will he be able to help the battered rotation, at least in the immediate?

We discussed that on the most recent edition of the Refuse to Lose podcast:

​I ​think ​Logan ​Gilbert ​is ​a ​guy ​who ​will ​throw ​five ​innings, ​strike ​out ​eight, ​walk ​two, ​be ​at ​90 ​pitches, and ​we're ​still ​going ​to ​have ​to ​go ​to ​the ​bullpen, ​which ​nobody ​wants ​to ​do ​in ​the ​sixth ​inning, ​at ​least ​for ​a ​little ​while, ​​right? ​I ​don't ​think ​Logan ​Gilbert ​comes ​back ​and ​iis ​seven ​innings-Gilbert ​every ​single ​night ​for ​the ​foreseeable ​future, right ​away. He's ​going ​to ​come ​back. ​He's ​going ​to ​give ​you ​a ​competitive ​start. ​He's ​going ​to ​pitch ​well ​to well-ish, ​I ​think, ​but ​he's ​still ​going ​to ​go ​five ​or ​six ​and ​the ​bullpen ​is ​still ​going ​to ​have ​to ​come ​in. ​And ​we ​know ​how ​weak ​it ​is ​in ​that ​middle ​zone. ​Trent ​Thornton's ​got ​an ​ERA ​of ​almost ​eight. ​He's ​been ​bad. Carlos ​Vargas, ​I ​like, ​but ​his ​outings ​are ​hit ​or ​miss. ​Collin Snider, ​when ​he's ​healthy, ​has ​struggled. Eduard ​Bazardo ​isn't ​a ​lockdown ​guy and any ​time ​that ​you ​don't ​go ​seven ​and ​get ​the ​ball ​right ​to ​Brash ​and ​Munoz, ​there's ​problems.

You can listen to the full podcast below:

Gilbert, 27, is 1-1 with a 2.37 ERA this season. He's struck out 44 batters in 30.1 innings. He was an All-Star last season and led the majors in innings pitched at 208.2.

Seattle is 35-34 and will take on the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday afternoon at 1:10 p.m. PT.