Emerson Hancock: throws bullpen Wednesday, hopes for return before end of season

The Mariners are hoping to get injured starter Emerson Hancock back this season, but it might not be in the role he’s played so far this year as one of the steadiest hands in a shaky rotation.

Hancock, who hadn’t thrown off a mound in 10 days, threw a bullpen yesterday at what he called “normal midweek intensity,” meaning not 100% effort, although he did throw his complete pitch mix. Even at the throttled-down effort, manager Dan Wilson said he was still feeling the effects of his adductor strain “occasionally.” Hancock, who said he felt “all right” after the session, said the issue is with his landing leg or plant leg; as he strides down the mound with his left leg, that’s where he can feel the pain in his adductor, which is the muscle group that runs along the inner thigh. But he doesn’t feel the pain every time, and although he says he’s feeling better and progressing, occasionally the pain still crops up.

“I don’t know what it’s going to feel like. When you’re throwing, when you’re talking about landing leg, you don’t really know what it’s going to do when you put all that force on it.”

“It’s a day-to-day thing,” said Hancock. “So we’ll just see how we feel tomorrow, and try to do everything we can to keep building this thing up, and hopefully get a chance to come back and pitch.”

“I think everything we’ve done up to this point has been very very productive…But I have to make sure that I’m also putting our position in a good position to win, as well. So we’re just continuing to work towards that.”

Hancock, who has been on the IL since August 29, would be eligible to return on September 13, in time for the series finale against the Athletics. But he needs at least one more bullpen session before he could return, and then will need to build back after sitting out for two weeks. Manager Dan Wilson didn’t discount the possibility of a move to the bullpen for Hancock for the remainder of the season, which would both get him back to the field more quickly and limit his innings and therefore the stress on his sore muscle.

“Anything’s possible,” said Wilson. “We’re making sure that he’s healthy first for sure, and then we’ll look at understanding how to plug him in and how to get him back, either into the rotation or in a different role. But we’ve got to get him healthy first.”

For his part, Hancock, the ultimate team player, is obviously disappointed to have landed on the IL after such a breakout season, but is staying focused on what he can do to help out the team in these last few games.

“At the end of the day, it’s not about me. There’s been some good and there’s been some bad, just personally. I love competing and I love being with our team, but also, as you’re working through the rehab process, you have to make sure that you’re in a good position to give your team the best chance to win. That’s the focus. So every day from here on out, it’s like, how can we be able to get to that point?”