LOS ANGELES – Erik Bedard felt good Sunday, but isn’t certain when that will translate to pitching again for the Seattle Mariners.

The left-hander hasn’t worked in a game since June 8, and while the team at one point thought he’d start against the Yankees, they’re now hoping to get him into a game next weekend in Boston.

That’s not set in stone, either.

“The inflammation is gone, but I’m building up my stamina now,” Bedard said. “I threw a bullpen (session) and will throw another one in New York. After that, I don’t know if we’re going to pitch a simulated game or not.

“If I don’t start in Boston, I’ll start that first series at home after that.”

Bedard is in familiar if unhappy territory – a world where the disabled list somehow becomes a reflection of his courage or desire to some fans of the team. Bedard understands the sentiment, but sees it differently.

“I play baseball to pitch, it’s what I love doing,” he said Sunday. “I came back early from surgery last year, got back sooner than we’d thought. I made 11 starts and the inflammation began – in the same spot as the surgery.”

In his 11 starts this season, Bedard has worked 65 innings, gone 5-2 with a 2.47 earned run average. A year ago, in 15 first-half starts, he was 6-4 with a 3.67 ERA in 81 innings.

No one begrudges Bedard’s heart when he works – he has pitched well since coming from Baltimore in the trade that sent Adam Jones, George Sherrill and others to the Orioles.

The issue amongst Mariners followers is Bedard’s health.

“There’s no easy way to say it other than ‘Guys get hurt,’ ” Bedard said. “I don’t want to be on the disabled list. The team is playing well, pitching is fun – why wouldn’t I want to be out there?

“It’s like Adrian (Beltre). He had surgery, came back and now has pain in the exact same place. In my case, nothing has grown back, it’s just inflammation caused by pitching.

“I felt it in my last start and it’s taken as long as it’s taken. The toughest thing for me is being patient with all this. I want to be out there.”

Mariners trade Morse

The Mariners needed outfield help, didn’t see anyone in their farm system they thought was ready for the big leagues, so they traded veteran Tacoma infielder Mike Morse to the Washington Nationals on Sunday for Ryan Langerhans.

Langerhans could join the Mariners in New York by Tuesday, depending upon what the Mariners decide to do.

With Josh Wilson, Chris Woodward and Ronny Cedeño now on the bench, Seattle could use a left-handed hitter who can also play the outfield and isn’t named Ken Griffey Jr.

A career .233 hitter in 474 big-league games, the 29-year-old Langerhans probably isn’t a long-term fix for Seattle, but with Endy Chavez out for the season, he was a piece the Mariners needed.

If Langerhans joins Seattle, whose place does he take on the 25-man roster?

Beltre, who will be placed on the disabled list and undergo surgery Tuesday.

In Triple-A this season, Langerhans was batting .278 with nine homers and 40 RBI for the Syracuse Chiefs.

With Tacoma, Morse was hitting .311 with 10 homers and 52 runs batted-in.

Short hops

Hard to know what the schedule-makers were thinking with this trip for Seattle. To play nine games – against the Dodgers, Yankees and Red Sox – the Mariners must fly more than 6,000 miles.

On tap

Seattle has today off before opening a three-game series on Tuesday in New York against the Yankees.

larry.larue@thenewstribune.com

blogs.thenewstribune.com/mariners