Mariners put Andrés Muñoz on IL, ending closer’s season

The Mariners placed closer Andrés Muñoz on the 15-day injured list Friday with right knee inflammation, ending his 2026 season before Seattle's final three games. The club announced the move alongside a recall of right-hander Troy Taylor from Triple-A Tacoma.

The knee issue began during Muñoz's September 20 outing in Colorado. An official Mariners video shows him leaving that game in the ninth inning. Imaging later showed nothing structurally concerning, general manager Justin Hollander told MLB, but the discomfort persisted. Muñoz did not pitch in the next three games, and the IL move closed off a return for the Angels series.

Muñoz finishes with 28 saves and a 4.24 ERA in 61 appearances, according to the Mariners' transaction release. That is a sharper season than a save total alone describes: MLB's follow-up notes that he struck out 37.1% of hitters but also walked 10% and had 10 blown saves. Seattle has two separate questions now: how to cover the last innings of the season and what version of its closer can return next spring.

Taylor gives the club another arm for the final series. Seattle's release lists 54 Triple-A outings for him this season and says his next appearance would be his first with the Mariners in 2026. The recall does not, by itself, make him the new closer.

The IL designation confirms only the end of Muñoz's regular season. The club has not announced a longer recovery timetable or a structural knee injury.