Right-hander Erasmo Ramirez open to a role change when he returns to Mariners
What's Erasmo Ramirez been doing?
The right-hander, who was projected to open the season as the Seattle Mariners’ No. 4 starter in the rotation before straining his lat muscle and then his teres major muscle in his shoulder, has been mending. Now he's back to pitching.
On Sunday, he threw his his first bullpen session since heading to the disabled list following his April 27 start against the Cleveland Indians. He threw 20 pitches, all fastballs.
The session left him encouraged as he beamed with excitement in front of his Safeco Field locker on Tuesday.
“I was working the corners,” he laughed. “I feel great. No fatigue at all and had the same intensity from first pitch to last pitch. I loved it – just being able to throw and not get tired. I was excited.”
Ramirez said he’ll have another bullpen session on Wednesday. He is scheduled to throw 35 pitches and incorporate his changeup to the mix.
There’s still no timetable on his projected return to the Mariners’ pitching staff.
But the bigger question – where does he fit even when he is healthy?
His spot in the rotation has been filled admirably by left-hander Wade LeBlanc, who signed a contract extension with the Mariners through the 2019 season on Tuesday. At the present, there are any holes in the rotation with James Paxton, Felix Hernandez, Mike Leake and Marco Gonzales pitching well.
That situation can certainly change by the time Ramirez is healthy, but he’s not forcing the issue. He said he’d accept a spot in the bullpen if the Mariners’ need that.
“I’m up for anything,” he said. “I’ve been in the bullpen, I’ve been in the rotation and right now it’s whatever they want me to do. I just want to execute. I know whether you throw six innings as a starter or two innings in relief that’s the same importance. You have to be able to throw strikes and get outs, so no matter what I’m focused on that and being healthy and knowing I can get back.”
And Ramirez said he feels as conditioned as he’s ever been thanks to his rehab workouts.
“I want to give them the chance to not doubt whether I’m healthy or not,” Ramirez said. “I want to show them that I’ve come back stronger than the last time I came off the DL, and whatever they want me to do, I just want to do my best.
“But to be able to throw and not feel fatigue has been one of my biggest things and that’s how I felt on Sunday.”
Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto, though, eluded to Ramirez being in line for some starters innings in the second half of the season, especially as the Mariners monitor innings thresholds with their current five starters. Dipoto mentioned they’ll be extra careful with their staff once LeBlanc and Gonzales reach 150-160 innings pitched.
“And then we've got to assess and we’re going to let the players’ physical preparedness tell us what they’re ready to do next,” Dipoto said.
Ramirez also adds insurance in case the Mariners aren’t able to add an impact starter or relief pitcher before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.
“If there is an opportunity for us to expand or augment our pitching group, wherever that is, we are going to be attentive to that,” Dipoto said. "If there is the ability to go out and find a guy we think takes some of the innings stress off of our starters in the second half or can give us that late punch in the back-end of our bullpen then we’ll go that route. And if that opportunity doesn’t present itself we probably won’t chase it.”
On tap
Right-hander Mike Leake (8-4, 4.01 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Mariners in their 1:10 p.m. game on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Angels. Their scheduled starter hadn’t been determined, but it could be right-hander Garrett Richards in his first game back from a hamstring injury.
The game will broadcast on Root Sports and 710-AM radio.
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Twitter: @TJCotterill