Brendan Donovan's New Haircut and Full Cage Routine: The M's Season Needs This

Alright, M's faithful, get ready for some good news after Monday's epic 8-3 win over the Angels at T-Mobile Park, because GM Justin Hollander just dropped some crucial updates on Brendan Donovan that should have us all hyped.

Donovan's Groin and That New Look

Our All-Star utility man, Brendan Donovan, is clearly on the mend, and Hollander confirmed what we've been hoping: "Brendan had a really good week last week." This isn't just a casual improvement; Hollander called it a "big, positive momentum builder" with more good days than bad, meaning things are ramping up! We're talking a full batting cage routine, and yeah, video of him running the bases, which was "certainly more than just jogging." This is massive for a guy who's been out since mid-May with a left groin strain. Remember, this all goes back to March 28 when he jammed up against the wall playing third base, and he even had a previous three-week stint on the IL in April and May. Complicating things was his offseason sports hernia surgery, which he was told could take up to a year to feel fully recovered from. Hollander can't give us a timeline for a rehab assignment yet, saying the injury isn't "conducive" to an estimate. But here's the kicker: Donovan was at T-Mobile Park for the Angels game, rocking a fresh haircut, so much so that Hollander said he was "barely recognizable." Our leadoff hitter against righties, who boasts an impressive .274/.386/.452 slash line for an .839 OPS and three homers, is fighting his way back!

Relievers Tracking Together, Eyes on August

It's not just Donovan on the comeback trail. Our bullpen heroes, Matt Brash and Cooper Criswell, are "kind of tracking together" in their recoveries, Hollander confirmed. Brash is battling right lat inflammation, and Criswell is working through a right pec strain. Both are scheduled for follow-up MRI exams on July 6, which will give the M's staff a chance to reassess their progress. Hollander anticipates an August return for both guys, likely "closer to the middle or the end than the beginning." It's tough to miss that firepower from our relief corps, and getting these two back will be huge for us. Carlos Vargas is also among the relievers recovering on the IL, and while we didn't get specific updates on him, we know the M's are working hard to get all our arms healthy.

The M's have six more games on this homestand, and with Donovan showing such promising signs and our relievers eyeing August returns, there's plenty to look forward to. Keep those eyes peeled for more updates, Emerald City, because these guys are coming back!

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