Mariners place Felix Hernandez on 15-day disabled list with strained right calf muscle

The Mariners will be without Felix Hernandez for the next two weeks. Seattle’s ace starting pitcher was placed on the disabled list Wednesday with a strained right calf muscle. The DL stint is retroactive to May 28, meaning he would be eligible to return June 12.

To complete the roster move, starter James Paxton was recalled by the Mariners and will take Hernandez’s spot in the rotation and start Wednesday night’s game at Petco Park against the Padres.

Hernandez did not fly with the team to San Diego and was examined by team orthopedist Dr. Edward Khalfayan on Wednesday morning in Seattle. The injury is not thought to be too serious and Hernandez should be ready to return when the 15 days are up. In 10 starts this season, he’s 4-4 with a 2.86 ERA with 53 strikeouts in 63 innings pitched.

Paxton was scratched from his scheduled start with Class AAA Tacoma on Tuesday night, causing massive speculation amongst fans. He flew to San Diego on Tuesday night. In 10 starts with the Rainiers, he’s 4-3 with a 3.97 ERA with 50 strikeouts in 47 2/3 innings pitched.

This is the third time Hernandez has been placed on the DL in his career. The last time came in 2008 when he sprained his ankle covering home plate on a wild pitch. It was the same game he hit a grand slam off then-Mets starter Johan Santana. The first time Hernandez went on the DL was with elbow tendinitis in 2007.