Mariners Recall Right-Hander Suzuki

The Seattle Mariners have recalled right-hander Mac Suzuki from Class A Riverside and purchased the contract of catcher Chris Howard from Class AAA Tacoma, the team announced Friday.

To make room for Howard, 29, on their 40-man roster, the Mariners recalled left-hander Tim Davis from Tacoma and placed him on the 60-day disabled list. Davis underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder July 6.

The 20-year-old Suzuki’s contract called for him to be brought up by Seattle in September.

He is the third Japanese-born player to appear on an active major-league roster. The others are pitchers Hideo Nomo of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Masanori Murakami, who was with the San Francisco Giants in 1964-65.

Suzuki missed the first three months of the season with a strained flexor tendon in his right elbow and an upper respiratory infection.

He appeared in four games with the Mariners’ club in the Arizona Rookie League before being promoted to Riverside Aug. 18.

At Riverside, he relieved in six games and had a 1-0 record with a 6.75 ERA during the regular season.

He appeared in two games during the California League playoffs that ended Thursday night.

Signed by the Mariners in September 1993, Suzuki appeared in eight games at Class AA Jacksonville last season before his year was cut short because of tendinitis in his right shoulder and right elbow.

Howard spent this season in Tacoma, where he batted .243 (65 for 268) with four home runs and 31 RBIs in 83 games.