It’s not official (yet), but trading Erasmo Ramirez enables Mariners to set roster

PEORIA, Ariz. – Taijuan Walker’s spot in the Mariners’ rotation is all but official, and Tyler Olson’s remarkable spring rise to win a bullpen job should be confirmed within the next few days.

The trade Tuesday night that sent right-hander Erasmo Ramirez to Tampa Bay for lefty Mike Montgomery cleared the way for the Mariners to set their 25-man roster for the regular season.

“Write what you see,” manager Lloyd McClendon said, gesturing to a board in his office during his Wednesday morning news briefing. “Take a look at the board.”

The board had 25 names. Walker and Olson were both on it.

Walker has long been lined up for the fifth spot in a balanced rotation that begins with ace right-hander Felix Hernandez and slots lefty James Paxton, righty Hisashi Iwakuma and lefty J.A. Happ in front of Walker.

“Obviously, it feels good,” Walker said when told of McClendon’s comments. “But it pretty much starts all over again. Still competing.

“I’ve got to go out there every day and compete because (Roenis) Elias is going to be down there (at Triple-A Tacoma) waiting to come up the moment I slack off. I’ve got to make sure I stay focused.”

Walker, 22, won the final spot over Elias and Ramirez through a dominant spring performance: one run and nine hits in 25 innings over five starts with 24 strikeouts and four walks.

Elias was optioned last Sunday to Tacoma.

The Mariners are still withholding confirmation that Olson will break camp with the big league club after not allowing an earned run in 12 2/3 innings over 10 spring outings.

“He’s shown a lot of poise,” McClendon said, “and the ability to get left-handers and right-handers out. Holds runners. Works fast. Throws strikes. Fields his position. He’s done a great job.”

Olson, 25, is a Spokane native (University High) whom the Mariners selected from Gonzaga in the seventh round of the 2013 draft. He spent most of last season at Double-A Jackson, where he was 10-7 with a 3.52 ERA in 22 starts.

“Nothing is, obviously, official,” Olson said, “but I think I’ve put myself in a good position. I’ve been going out there and showing that I can compete, be put in situations and get out of them.”

White Sox (ss) 12, Mariners 4

Seattle starter James Paxton took a beating Wednesday from Chicago at Peoria, Arizona. Paxton needed 31 pitches to get through the first inning, when he gave up two runs on three hits after a leadoff walk. It never got much better. He gave up seven runs and 10 hits in 3 1/3 innings.

“It wasn’t a very good outing,” manager Lloyd McClendon said. “He threw a lot of pitches in a little amount of time. I was a little disappointed. We’ve got to get him ready. We certainly got the pitch count up. That’s for sure.”