Hargrove not anointing Torrealba No. 1 catcher yet, but stay tuned

Catcher Yorvit Torrealba has played three straight games for the Mariners, including Wednesday when he got a rare start in a day game after playing the previous night.

Manager Mike Hargrove said it’s not an indication that Torrealba is the No. 1 catcher.

“He hasn’t shown he can’t be (No. 1), but I don’t know that he’s shown yet that he can,” Hargrove said of Torrealba.

The Mariners also have Miguel Ojeda, who hasn’t played since they called him up Monday from Triple-A Tacoma. The biggest reason Ojeda didn’t start Wednesday was that Jamie Moyer, who has a complicated set of signs and an intricate variety of pitches, started the game.

“It’s not that I don’t have confidence in his ability to catch, but Jamie can be a different deal than a regular, normal pitcher,” Hargrove said.

Torrealba, obtained July 30 in a trade with the Giants, has started eight games. He went 3 for 3 Wednesday and is hitting .239, but has impressed Hargrove more with his defense and ability to steer pitchers.

“That’s what I want out of a catcher,” Hargrove said. “A catcher’s main reason for existing, to me, is to get the most out of the pitcher that day. He seems to get it.”