Bryan Woo approaching Mariners records with impressive streak

The Seattle Mariners’ starting rotation has been tested this season in ways it hasn’t been in recent years.

Rain is threatening Seattle Mariners’ upcoming games vs. Twins

Injuries have taken a toll on a unit that was the best in baseball last season. Opening-day starter Logan Gilbert missed more than a month with a flexor issue in his right elbow. George Kirby missed the first two months of the season with right shoulder inflammation. And Bryce Miller is currently on the injured list with right elbow inflammation for the second time.

Even with all of those injury issues, the rotation has remained respectable through the first three months of the year. The group ranks ninth in the American League in ERA (4.14) and opponent batting average (.250), and eighth in WHIP (1.25) and innings pitched (414 2/3).

One of the biggest reasons the rotation has been able to withstand the early injuries is the performance of right-hander Bryan Woo, who kept an impressive streak going Monday night.

Woo pitched six innings for the 15th straight time this season while tying his career high of nine strikeouts during an 11-2 win over the Twins. According to Mariners PR, Woo’s 15 starts of at least six innings are three more than any other AL pitcher this season.

“It means a lot,” Woo said after Monday’s game. “I think for us, no matter who’s going, I think we want be going deep into games. No matter if we’re pitching well or not, you always want to go deep.

“For me, I think it’s a combination of a bunch of things. I think that it means that I’m being efficient with my pitches, I’m getting ahead in the counts, getting some quicker outs so that I can go deeper.”

Woo, who has gone at least six innings in every start this year, is approaching Mariners records with his current run. He is just three games shy of Félix Hernández’s single-season franchise record set in 2014, and is also five shy of Randy Johnson’s Mariners record of 20 straight starts of at least six innings that spanned from the 1993 season into 1994.

Woo leads the Mariners in just about every pitching category this year. He’s first in wins (seven), innings pitched (95 1/3), ERA (3.12), WHIP (.0955), strikeouts (87) and quality starts (11).

He’s also in the top 10 in the AL in quality starts, innings pitched, WHIP and opponents’ batting average.

And it all comes after Woo spent last season battling injuries and was the only member of the Mariners’ rotation to miss a start.

More Seattle Mariners coverage

• Passan shares unique factor that may help Cal Raleigh’s MVP case
• Mariners’ Julio Rodríguez has a mentality with Raleigh hitting behind him
• Cal Raleigh’s latest home run sets multiple records
• Ahead of trade deadline, M’s fans should be rooting against D-backs
• Red-hot Seattle Mariners prospect Colt Emerson wins POTW honors

Related

Mariners place Emerson Hancock on the 15-day ILEx-Mariners OF Kelenic signs minor league deal with YankeesMariners fall to Blue Jays 4-3 in Kade Anderson’s 2nd startMariners Notebook: The latest on Hancock and DonovanWhat Bryce Miller said about move to Mariners’ bullpenKade Anderson on debut: ‘I had my D+ stuff’