When the official 2026 World Baseball Classic roster was announced, the first reaction of many Seattle Mariners fans wasn’t excitement—but worry. Matt Brash wasn’t on Team Canada. For a pitcher who had shown such deep commitment to his country at the 2023 WBC, this absence immediately raised questions: was something wrong?
The answer, it turned out, was good news.
According to Shannon Drayer of Seattle Sports, Brash is perfectly healthy. He simply chose a different path: prioritizing preparation for the long season ahead with the Mariners. No drama. No big announcements. Just a strategic decision—and in the current context, it’s more valuable than any international performance.
This speaks volumes about Brash. After the Mariners came closer to the World Series than ever before last season, the team’s goal is no longer just “improvement.” It’s about finishing the journey. And Brash understands that, with his bullpen already exhausted in 2025, every early inning could become a burden at the end of the season.
The Mariners have reason to worry. Andrés Muñoz, Gabe Speier, and Eduard Bazardo are all participating in the WBC this year. These three were also among Seattle’s top inning relievers last season—a season where injuries and a lack of depth forced coaches to exploit the bullpen to its limit. The consequences only became apparent in the postseason, when the arm wasn’t as fresh as expected.
No one is to blame. But the lesson remains.
In that context, Brash not burning through any more innings in the WBC is a real relief. It’s true that in 2023, he participated in the WBC and still led MLB in appearances (78). But the price came later: his entire 2024 season was wiped out because of Tommy John. This time, Brash made a wiser choice—and the Mariners benefited.
The reassurance didn’t just come from Brash. Another positive surprise was that rookie bullpen Jose A. Ferrer wasn’t named in the Dominican Republic roster, contrary to many initial predictions. Ferrer proved in Washington that he handles pressure well, and his Baseball Savant stats paint a picture of a rare reliever: 99th percentile for ground-ball rate, 95th for walk rate, 94th for velocity. With Ferrer “holding the load,” the Mariners eased the pressure early in March.
However, the worries haven’t completely disappeared. Muñoz, Speier, and Bazardo will still have to endure the intensity of international competition. The Mariners will be “watching with a wary eye,” as Drayer described it—not out of a lack of confidence, but because they’ve seen what happens when bullpen is stretched too quickly.
Matt Brash’s decision didn’t make a big headline. But sometimes, it’s the quiet choices that keep a team’s hopes alive when October returns. The Mariners didn’t need more heroes in March. They needed a strong arm in September.
And this time, Brash chose the right time to say “no.”
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