4:39pm: Per GM Jerry Dipoto, the hope is that Paxton will only miss two starts with what has been diagnosed as a grade 1 strain, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune (Twitter links). It’s likely that either Christian Bergman or Dillon Overton will step in for him temporarily. Seattle also has some promising news on Hernandez, it seems, as Dipoto says he’s almost ready to begin a throwing program and could return by the middle of the month.
4:03pm: The Mariners have announced that lefty James Paxton has been placed on the 10-day DL with a forearm strain. While his prognosis is not known at this time, that’s obviously concerning news for the club.
Paxton, 28, has made six eye-opening starts thus far, spinning 37 2/3 innings of 1.43 ERA ball with 10.8 K/9 against 2.6 BB/9. With the club already missing Felix Herandez and Drew Smyly, his presence was all the more critical.
It’s not at all clear at this point that Paxton will require a lengthy DL stint. But the M’s can ill afford any missed time from the big lefty given the other injuries and with six games already separating them from the top of the AL West standings. And it’s always concerning to hear about forearm strains, which can be precursors to more significant ligament and tendon problems.
For now, Seattle will call up reliever Evan Marshall along with infielder Mike Freeman. But the team will likely need to make more changes to sort out its rotation in the coming days.
So now we can count on the drought getting another year longer.
No shocker there.
The Mariners now have 14 pitchers on the roster.
That’s absurd. That means they have two bench players. A backup catcher and I guess a utility guy? Since the backup catcher never plays that means they have a one-man bench. Which means a reasonably intelligent dog could manage the team. No strategy there. MLB needed to expand rosters like, yesterday.
They actually have a three man bench with Freeman getting the call. Right now it is Freeman, Ruiz and (technically) Motter/Gamel. So they have 13 pitchers not 14.
It still sucks. I like pinch hitters and defensive replacements.
Calling all MLB 17 players: he will not go diamond soon
Man I was hoping to sell him too if he did lol
Why not call up Andrew Moore??????
if they want to have a decent season l, they need to call up Moore. without a doubt
We’ve been burned before by calling up prospects before they’re ready for the show. Look at Zunino as the latest example- he’s back in T-Town. However, after seeing Moore in this years ST I believe he has the mental make-up to handle the inevitable start where his touch and feel deserts him. In addition to Moore I believe we should bring up Pohse, give him a chance to fill in for Felix/Paxton/Smyly/Kuma. If the Mariners get to the Wild Card spot this year it will be one helluva an accomplishment