The Seattle Mariners are hopeful Felix Hernandez will miss only one spring training start due to a bruised right forearm sustained when hit by a line drive.
Altavilla shortened his leg kick and started using the same grip and approach James Paxton uses for his slider. It has propelled him into the Mariners most effective reliever this spring.
Mariners pitcher said Tuesday he is still very sore a day after a liner off the bat of the Chicago Cubs’ Victor Caratini hit Hernandez in the right forearm.
Six Mariners pitchers – Marco Gonzales, Juan Nicasio, Edwin Diaz, Rob Whalen, Chase Bradford and Sam Moll – combined to hold the Los Angeles Dodgers scoreless in a 2-0 Seattle victory on Sunday.
Both pitchers seemed headed for Class AAA Tacoma to start the season, but with Erasmo Ramirez's status uncertain, they will vie for that open spot in the rotation.
Catcher Mike Zunino is looking to build off his best season as a Seattle Mariner. Zunino enters his sixth season after setting career highs at the plate. He hit .251 with 25 home runs and 64 RBIs last season. No catcher currently in Mariners’ spring training has close to the same big-league experience as the 26-year-old Zunino.
Ryon Healy joined his new teammates for the Seattle Mariners’ first scheduled full-squad workout of spring training. But all he could do was stand around and watch. Healy had surgery last week to remove a bone spur in his right hand and cannot take part in drills. His prognosis for recovery is four to six weeks before the Mariners hope he can get into games.
