‘Freak Accident’ Lands Mariners Player on IL

New details have surfaced about the accident that landed Seattle Mariners third baseman Brendan Donovan on the Injured List.

According to the Seattle Times, Donovan took a baseball to the head minutes before last Saturday’s game against the Chicago Cubs.

He did not have a helmet on while in the batting cage, so the pitch from an unnamed team staffer hit him hard enough to force the team to use a concussion designation.

“(Donovan) likes to challenge himself in practice; he’s one of the guys that really likes to get after it in pregame,” general manager Justin Hollander said.

“He was in the cage taking ‘live’ BP in the cage, which is pretty common for a lot of guys in the big leagues, but especially him. And just a throw got away and hit him in the head. It’s no one’s fault. It happens.”

Mariners GM Justin Hollander describes what led to Brendan Donovan getting a concussion in the batting cage late last week

Says it happened during live BP pic.twitter.com/fpUPZxXZci

— Marine Layer Podcast (@MarineLayerPod) August 24, 2026

The Seattle Times notes that it is not uncommon for a Mariners batter to take a “challenge” batting practice without a helmet. That situation has since changed as players all began wearing helmets on Monday.

Donovan, who joined Seattle after four seasons in St. Louis, has landed on the Injured List three times this season. He has missed more than 80 games so far, mostly due to a left groin strain.

When healthy, Donovan has contributed with 38 hits, three home runs, 15 RBIs, and 38 runs scored.

The Mariners have continued to struggle this season while falling to third in the American League West with a 63-69 record.

This team has lost two games by double digits in the last seven days. This includes a 19-2 loss to the Cubs on Aug. 23 and a 22-0 loss to the Brewers on Aug. 18.

These recent losses have hurt the Mariners’ chances to make the postseason, something that the Polymarket traders have showcased with wagers.

The Mariners now only have a 39% chance to make the postseason, according to these traders. This puts them behind two division rivals in the Astros (44%) and the Rangers (47%). The Rangers currently lead the American League West with a 66-66 record.

A new team has taken the top spot in the Polymarket rankings. The Brewers now lead the list with a 99% chance to make the postseason. This puts the team in a tie with the Yankees.

The Dodgers are second at 98%. This ties the Dodgers with the Braves. The Rays are just behind at 97%.

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