James Paxton still feeling pneumonia effects, won’t start on Mariners’ road trip

James Paxton tossed a bullpen session in front of Seattle Mariners coaches on Tuesday in Houston, his first since rejoining the team after recovering from a combination of influenza and pneumonia.

But the Mariners’ ace is not ready to rejoin the starting rotation. At least not on this road trip.

“Energy-wise he still feels a little down,” Mariners manager Scott Servais told reporters Wednesday afternoon.

Just like Paxton, Servais said they won’t factor Felix Hernandez into the rotation until after their off day on Thursday.

Paxton threw 40 pitches on Tuesday, but not at 100 percent. He’ll throw in Arlington, Texas, on Friday before the Mariners begin their three-game series there against the Rangers – their final road series of the season.

The Mariners return to Seattle on Monday for a final stretch of the regular season that includes a three-game series against the Oakland Athletics and four games against the Rangers.

Servais said he and Paxton had a long discussion Wednesday of how the lefty’s season has transpired. Paxton is 11-6 in a career-high 26 starts and a career-high 150 1/3 innings pitched. He has a 3.83 ERA with 194 strikeouts (also a career-high).

Last year, Paxton had a 2.98 ERA in 24 starts with 156 strikeouts.

“I had a chance to sit down and talk with him for a long time today about where he’s at and how his season has gone and trying to put a plan together,” Servais said. “It was pretty clear he would like to make a couple turns. I don’t see why he couldn’t, but we’ll wait and see how his bullpen goes on Friday in Texas.

“Every situation is different but I think it’s important guys finish healthy and strong and you go into next year.”

Mariners-AquaSox deal

Wednesday the Mariners and the short-season Single-A Everett AquaSox agreed to continue their affiliation through 2022, preserving their relationship that began in 1995.

The Everett deal is a two-year extension of their current Player Development Contract, which was set to expire after the 2020 season.

There’s a few benefits to having the affiliate so close, but one is for local rehab assignments. Robinson Cano played for Everett last month when he was preparing to return from his 80-game suspension for violating major league baseball’s joint drug agreement. Right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma made three rehab starts for Everett.

Double-Double

Cano went 3-for-4 with two doubles in the Mariners’ 7-0 loss to the Astros on Tuesday night.

Since returning from his suspension on Aug. 14, Cano has played in 31 games and has slashed .280/.333/.440 with four home runs, eight doubles and 16 RBI. The Mariners, entering Thursday, were 14-17 since Cano’s return.

But his two doubles on Tuesday were the lone bright spot offensively in another Mariners loss. They also moved him past Hall of Famers Cap Anson and Frank Robinson as well as Al Oliver on MLB’s career doubles list (41st overall).

Next up: Lou Gehrig with 534 doubles.

“When you start talking about those kinds of names in the history of baseball, that certainly says a lot,” Servais said. “That’s part of his game is the extra-base hits and getting the doubles. That was great to see. He’s swung the ball really well.”

Slumping Segura

It’s easy to point at Mike Zunino, Kyle Seager and Dee Gordon for the Mariners’ slumping offense. Just one look at their season batting averages does that trick.

One who might surprise you: Jean Segura.

But look at his production from the first three months of the season compared to the past three months:

March 29-June 30: 77 games, .336/.364/.841, 6 HRs, 23 2Bs, 45 RBI, 47 Ks, 16 BBs

July 1-present: 57 games, .259/.303/.329, 3 HRs, 5 2Bs, 15 RBI, 21 Ks, 12 BBs

Segura might have been the MVP of the Mariners’ first half, which landed him a trip to the All-Star Game as the Final Vote member. But his declining production is one more reason why the team has fallen off the playoff chase.

On tap

The Mariners are off on Thursday before their final 10-game stretch of the season, which starts with a three-game series in Arlington, Texas, against the Rangers.

Right-hander Erasmo Ramirez (2-3, 5.65 ERA) will start Friday against a Rangers “opener,” RHP Connor Sadzeck, before giving way to the previously announced starter, RHP Ariel Jurado (3-5, 7.01 ERA).

That game begins at 5:05 p.m. at Glove Life Park, and will broadcast on Root Sports and 710-AM radio.

This story was originally published September 19, 2018 at 5:09 PM.