Hector Noesi’s 18th start for the Seattle Mariners was sufficiently poor – 1 innings, seven runs allowed – to ensure he won’t get another one, the team said Tuesday.
After the Baltimore Orioles hammered Noesi in Seattle’s 10-4 loss a night earlier, manager Eric Wedge said the team was pulling the right-hander from his scheduled start on Sunday and putting him in the bullpen.
“I don’t rule out another start, but he’ll give us length out of the bullpen,” Wedge said. “We have other options and a day off between now and then.”
Yes, it’s conceivable Noesi could start again this season, although with a 2-12 record and a 6.00 earned-run average, one has to wonder what the circumstances would have to be.
Without him, the Mariners rotation has five members – Felix Hernandez, Hisashi Iwakuma, Jason Vargas, Blake Beavan and Erasmo Ramirez – with a sixth, Kevin Millwood, still a possibility.
If the team was to simply stay in rotation, counting the Thursday off day, Ramirez would face the Texas Rangers on Sunday on five days of rest.
Among the factors Seattle considered was this one: Every team the Mariners play the rest of the month is, at the moment, still in the playoff race. Starting Noesi against any of them might not be considered putting the best team on the field.
Noesi, 25, was obtained in the trade with the New York Yankees that dealt Michael Pineda and minor league pitcher Jose Campos for catcher-designated hitter Jesus Montero.
At this point, he appears to be depth for a team that could bring Hernandez, Iwakuma, Vargas, Beavan, Ramirez, Danny Hultzen, Brandon Maurer, James Paxton and Taijuan Walker to spring training next February.
“Hector needs more presence on the mound, he has to execute pitches and the ball has to end up where you want it or the game gets away fast,” Wedge said. “He has great stuff, so it has to be the intangibles.
“He should be better than he is.”
KINDHEARTED FELIX
For the second consecutive year, Felix Hernandez is Seattle’s candidate for the annual Roberto Clemente Award, which recognizes the player who best represents baseball through positive contributions on and off the field.
One player from each of the 30 major league teams is nominated for the award, which has been awarded since 1971.
Fans can vote for the award online at MLB.com/ClementeAward.
Mariners who have won the award include Edgar Martinez (2004), Jamie Moyer (2003) and Harold Reynolds (1991).
SHORT HOPS
Catcher/designated hitter John Jaso has started 76 games for Seattle this season, reaching base by hit or walk in 69 of those. … The Mariners began the night with a 6-9 record in the month of September. What do all six Seattle victories have in common? Tom Wilhelmsen saved each.
ON TAP
Seattle hosts Baltimore in a 7:10 p.m. game that will be televised on Root Sports. Probable starting pitchers: Joe Saunders (2-2, 4.30 ERA) vs. Felix Hernandez (13-8, 2.92).
larry.larue@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/mariners @LarryLaRue
JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here
We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.