Questions linger for Mariners rotation
When it comes to the Seattle Mariners rotation, there are just two certainties over the final six weeks: Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma will, barring injuries, make their scheduled starts.
Everything else is up in the air.
Manager Lloyd McClendon reiterated Monday that right-hander Taijuan Walker and lefty Mike Montgomery are pushing up against their workload limits.
“I think it’s safe to say this,” McClendon allowed, “Are we concerned about their innings? Yeah. Sure, we are.”
The Mariners believe lefty Vidal Nuno fits best as a swingman, pitching extended innings as a reliever while drawing an occasional start. But they might have no choice but to keep him in the rotation.
Left-hander Roenis Elias, recalled Sunday from Triple-A Tacoma, figures to rejoin the rotation at some point this weekend against the White Sox in Chicago.
Elias was scheduled to pitch Sunday for Tacoma, prior to his recall, and could work in relief at some point in the current series against Oakland in order to stay sharp.
Once Elias rejoins the rotation, he should remain there through the end of the season. His workload doesn’t figure to be a factor.
Elias pitched 168 2/3 innings last season, which puts his preferred maximum at 190-plus. He is at 139 1/3 innings, counting his time with the Mariners and at Tacoma.
Lefty James Paxton, out since May 28, made his first rehab start Sunday at Tacoma, but he failed to get through the first inning before getting pulled after 35 pitches against Memphis (Cardinals) at Cheney Stadium.
The big plus, as Paxton told The News Tribune afterward, is he “felt great” with “no pain at all” in his middle finger. He also pushed his pitch count to 50 by going to the bullpen after leaving the game.
The downside is building endurance requires the up-and-down cycle of pitching multiple innings. That means he is likely to require at least two more rehab starts before rejoining the big-league rotation.
That projects, as a best-case scenario,for Paxton to return to the Mariners on Labor Day – or roughly when Walker and Montgomery will be hitting their preferred innings’ limits.
Clearing the bases
David Wright was activated from the disabled list and homered in his first at bat Monday night against the Phillies. Wright last played for the Mets on April 14. … The Orioles placed SS J.J. Hardy on the disabled list and designated OF Nolan Reimold for assignment. Baltimore also reinstated UTL Steve Pearce and recalled RHP Jorge Rondon from Triple-A Norfolk. … CC Sabathia was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a right knee injury. Yankees manager Joe Girardi said there is no timetable for his return. … The Cubs placed OF Jorge Soler and RHP Jason Motte on the 15-day disabled list. They recalled INF Tommy La Stella and lefty Zac Rosscup from Triple-A Iowa. … Ron Washington is back in the dugout where he got his big league start as a coach, promoted to third base coach for the Athletics after the club dismissed Mike Gallego.