Brendan Donovan's Groin Issue Sending Him to Arkansas, But the Mariners Got Him Back Soon

The Mariners are giving Brendan Donovan some time in the minors to shake off a groin injury that's been nagging him since mid-April. The third baseman will start a rehab assignment with Double-A Arkansas on Monday, GM Justin Hollander announced Friday. The good news? He's progressing well, and Seattle expects him back in Chicago on May 8.

What Happened and Where We Are

Donovan left Seattle's 5-0 loss to the Texas Rangers on April 17 with a left hip issue, then landed on the 10-day IL three days later with a left groin muscle strain. The injury is part of a bigger picture: he was already dealing with right groin discomfort in early April, which he believes might be connected to sports hernia surgery he had back on October 7. So yeah, this hasn't been a simple recovery.

But here's the thing: Donovan's been swinging the bat well despite all this. He's hitting .304 with three home runs, eight RBIs, and nine walks across 18 games. That's exactly the kind of production the Mariners counted on when they acquired him from the Cardinals in February via a three-team trade that also involved the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Plan Forward

"Really positive the way that Donnie has progressed through this," Hollander said Friday. "Probably not going to be activated for this home stand. The idea would be a couple rehab games in Arkansas then meet us in Chicago."

So expect Donovan to get a couple games under his belt in Arkansas before rejoining the squad on the road. The 29-year-old and 2025 All-Star was taking grounders and hitting in the cage Friday before Seattle faced Kansas City, which is a solid sign he's moving in the right direction.

Other Roster Moves

The Mariners also recalled LHP Josh Simpson from Triple-A Tacoma and put RHP Matt Brash on the 15-day IL, retroactive to Thursday. Brash was pulled during his relief appearance against the Twins on Wednesday. Simpson has made nine appearances in Tacoma, allowing just one run in 9⅓ innings.

Meanwhile, RHP Bryce Miller is continuing his own rehab journey, scheduled to make his third rehab start Wednesday for High-A Everett. The 27-year-old was 4-6 with a 5.68 ERA in 18 starts last season but has been 24-21 with a 4.01 ERA across 74 career starts over three major league seasons.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.