There's One Major Question as Seattle Mariners' Ace Logan Gilbert Works Back From Injury

At the end of April, the Seattle Mariners placed All-Star pitcher Logan Gilbert on the injured list with a Grade 1 flexor strain. The injury seemed like the best case scenario after Gilbert originally left a start against the Miami Marlins with "right forearm tightness."

While Gilbert is still likely a few weeks away from returning, he has been steadily building back up. He recently threw a bullpen, hitting 94 mph, according to reports. That's certainly optimistic news.

Assuming that Gilbert is able to return, we do have one major question for him: Will he come back with the same pitch mix as before? After all, the split-fingered fastball is a tough pitch for your forearm, and Gilbert has been throwing it 21 percent of the time this year, according to Baseball Savant.

We discussed this in greater length on the most recent edition of the Refuse to Lose podcast, which you can listen to below.

And we also asked ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney about this question on Thursday's episode:

So, ​I ​think ​your ​question ​is ​wholly ​appropriate. ​And, ​you ​know, ​if ​I ​was ​a ​beat ​writer ​covering ​the ​Mariners, ​that ​would ​be ​one ​of ​the ​things ​that ​I'd ​be ​asking ​myself...charting ​the ​pitches ​that ​he's ​throwing ​during ​the ​game ​and ​seeing '​is ​he ​throwing ​his ​splitter? ​Is ​it ​a ​lower ​percentage? ​Is ​he ​saving ​it ​for ​particular ​situations?' ​Because ​those ​choices ​are ​made. ​I've ​seen pitchers who are ​coming ​back ​from ​an ​elbow ​issue., who ​would ​stay ​away ​from ​the slider, ​which ​historically ​is ​a ​pitch ​that ​puts ​strain ​on ​an ​elbow, ​can ​cause ​a ​physical ​problem. ​So ​I'm ​going ​to ​be ​really ​curious ​to ​see ​exactly ​what ​his ​pitch ​mix ​is ​when ​he ​comes ​back.

Gilbert is 1-1 this season with a 2.37 ERA. The Mariners enter play on Saturday at 24-19 and in first place in the American League West. They'll play the Padres on Saturday night at 5:40 p.m. PT.