How Bryan Woo unleashed a fellow Mariners ace just in time for the playoffs

Colorado Rockies v Seattle Mariners | Steph Chambers/GettyImagesThis has been Bryan Woo's year. Posting a 2.94 ERA with a 3.47 FIP over 186.2 innings, he has risen to the top of the Mariners' rotation just two years after getting called up out of Double-A. While he won't end up taking home any hardware this year, he has put the rest of the American League on notice that he's one of the best starters around.

Just a few years ago, that was George Kirby. Called up in 2022, he placed sixth in Rookie of the Year voting and followed it up with a sophomore campaign where he pitched to a 3.35 ERA while leading all of MLB in BB/9 (0.9) and K/BB (9.05). It seemed like only a matter of time before he…