Mariners might as well shut down Brendan Donovan after alarming concussion update

When it comes to individual players summing up what has been a rough season for the Mariners, Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez both make for excellent candidates. Raleigh went from an MVP-worthy campaign to being one of the worst hitters in the majors, while Rodríguez has effectively done the opposite of his usual second-half surge in productivity. However, we also believe Brendan Donovan is worthy of mention due to his ongoing injury issues, the latest of which makes for scary stuff.

When Donovan has been available he's mostly been a tremendous offensive presence, hitting .277 for a .780 OPS, along with a 127 OPS+ and 131 wRC+ which would both project to career-highs over the course of a full season. Unfortunately for the Mariners, he has been limited to 39 games and will finish with a career-low in this category, even if he plays the remainder of the season. Which brings us to what is best for him in the immediate future.

Donovan spent two stints on the Injured List earlier this season -- the second of which was a lengthy one of more than 11 weeks -- with a left groin muscle strain. This was a lingering effect of the offseason sports hernia he had prior to his trade to Seattle, and the Mariners were smart in playing it extra cautiously with him, albeit almost going to mysterious lengths. Now, it's time for the organization to play it smart with him again, as he continues to recover from a concussion.

That Donovan is in concussion protocol in the first place is frustrating and could have been avoided -- another good way to sum up the Mariners' season -- with him being hit in the head by a ball while not wearing a helmet in the batting cage. Still, the main priority is that he fully recovers and returns healthy, with the 29-year-old aiming to be back before the end of the 2026 season. However, based on his latest comments, this might not be the best of ideas, no matter how commendable his intentions.

Prove us wrong, Mariners, just not at the expense of Brendan Donovan's long-term health

Donovan discussed his situation with MLB.com's Daniel Kramer on Sunday. What was particularly alarming was that when he gets on the field, he said he feels like he's going to be sick: "And then I take ground balls, and I have to take every other one because I'm going to throw up. So that's kind of been the process to this point."

Concussion protocol lasts for a minimum of seven days, but Donovan has now passed the two-week mark. It almost sounds as if he's in a vicious cycle of sorts at this point, with him admitting he keeps having the same symptoms. And while he has been vocal about wanting to play again in 2026, you have to wonder if there's much -- if any -- point at this juncture?

Look, we really hope to be wrong about this, but with just 18 games left in the regular season combined with the Mariners' current standing, their playoffs odds are basically dead. Why risk pushing yourself to return, when it's probably too late to help the team? (Again, we hope to be wrong about the team's fate, no matter how dire it looks at the moment.)

The thinking has to be for the long-term benefit of Donovan and by extension the team, by giving him a smoother, calmer off ramp to an offseason in which he'll need to get right. Heck, he even admitted to Kramer that he's aware of the risk of brain injuries, wanting to be able to hang out and talk to his children with no issues. Here's hoping the Mariners do right by him and shut him down.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow