Mariners receive ‘positive’ updates on relievers Matt Brash, Gregory Santos

Matt Brash and Gregory Santos, two-thirds of what the Mariners expect to be a menacing back-of-the-bullpen trio, are roughly on schedule in their recovery from arm injuries.

Brash threw a bullpen session at the team’s complex in Arizona on Monday, mixing in some sliders for the first time since landing on the injured list with right elbow inflammation.

The 25-year-old right-hander is not yet throwing with maximum effort, but he is steadily building arm strength, general manager Justin Hollander said Monday.

“He’s continuing to ramp up intensity,” Hollander said. “He’ll throw a bullpen again later this week with a mix of fastballs and breaking balls.”

Santos had a recent MRI that “looked good,” Hollander said, clearing the way for the right-hander to restart his throwing program, which he began on Monday.

“A pretty positive update overall,” Hollander said.

Santos, acquired in a January trade from the Chicago White Sox, felt a “pinch” in his throwing shoulder a few weeks ago, and he opened the season on the 15-day injured list with a latissimus dorsi strain.

Another right-handed reliever, Eduard Bazardo (rotator cuff strain), has also resumed throwing bullpen sessions.

Another right-handed reliever, Eduard Bazardo (rotator cuff strain), has also resumed throwing bullpen sessions.

There is no specific timeline for their return, but Brash is ahead of the other two relievers in his recovery. They are not expected to return until sometime in May.

Other injury updates

Right-hander Bryan Woo played catch on flat ground Monday for the first time since being shut down late in spring camp because of elbow inflammation. The Mariners are hopeful he can return sometime in April, but he will need to build up arm strength.

“As we felt at the time, and continue to feel, it’s not a long-term thing,” Hollander said. “We’ll see how fast it goes when he starts ramping up more and throwing off a mound. But right now, he feels good, and he will continue to ramp up.”

• Utility player Sam Haggerty (general medical procedure) has also resumed baseball activity and is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment in the minors later this week.

• Designated hitter Mitch Garver returned to the lineup for Monday’s series opener against Cleveland . Garver, 33, had missed the previous three games against the Red Sox because of back spasms.

“We missed him not having him in our lineup the last couple days,” Manager Scott Servais said. “The thing he does really well – he makes good swing decisions, (plus) the power and everything else he brings with that. Glad to have him back in there.”