The Mariners rotation is becoming more clear. But, Felix Hernandez’s first start still fuzzy after another frustrating outing
Felix Hernandez will not pitch on Opening Day for the Seattle Mariners for the first time in more than a decade, and was visibly frustrated by that decision Sunday afternoon, following his third spring training start.
He declined to comment to reporters about the decision directly, but did acknowledge he was not surprised by it, and didn’t feel he could have changed it.
“I knew it was going to happen,” he said.
The Mariners announced Saturday that lefty Marco Gonzales, who has had an overall productive spring despite one shaky start Friday night, would get the nod when the Mariners open on March 20 in Japan against the Oakland A’s.
“It doesn’t make it any easier, but you try to take as much emotion out of it as you can, and do what’s best for our ball club,” Servais said following Saturday’s announcement.
“And I think it’s what’s best for where we’re at right now based on, Marco had a really good season last year, and we’ll give him the ball.”
Yusei Kikuchi will start the second game of the series in his native country.
That pushes Hernandez — who has opened the past 10 seasons for Seattle — further back in the starting rotation. Servais said Saturday that Hernandez is expected to pitch one of the exhibition games in Japan.
But, the former Mariners ace is not projected to pitch a regular-season game until the club returns to Seattle for its six-game opening homestand against the Red Sox and Angels — and possibly not until the fifth game of the homestand on April 1.
The last Mariners pitcher to start on Opening Day that was not Hernandez was Eric Bedard in 2008.
“He’s a starting pitcher in the big leagues, and we’ll give him the ball every fifth day,” Servais said following Sunday’s start.
“He’s got more outings in spring training. He doesn’t get the ball obviously over in Japan, so he’s got things to continue to work on and get ready for his first outing of the season.”
Hernandez has the highest ERA (15.95 in 7 1/3 innings) of any pitcher in the Mariners projected starting rotation this spring.
Sunday, he sat down Cleveland’s first three batters, and made it through the second inning without allowing a run, before Oscar Mercado hit a solo shot off of the batter’s eye in centerfield in the third.
Hernandez was tagged for six more earned runs in the fourth, exiting the game after facing six batters in the inning, with the bases loaded and no outs. He threw 63 pitches.
He said apart from allowing the seven earned runs on six hits, he felt physically fine.
“Felix has made a concerted effort this spring to work the curveball in more, early in counts, early in the game, and didn’t do that today,” Servais said. “He was able to get through the first couple innings, but it caught up with him there the second time through their order.
“He needs to continue to work that in. It’s one of his better pitches, and didn’t go to it today.”
Servais did note he was pleased with the effort from Hernandez throughout spring camp.
“I have no issues at all,” he said. “He’s trying to get on top of his game and give us a good quality start every time out there.”
ROSTER MOVES
As spring training winds down, the Mariners have started to thin out their camp, including reassigning five players to minor league camp Sunday.
Right-handed pitchers Tyler Danish, Ryan Garton and Robinson Leyer, left-handed pitcher Matt Tenuta and outfielder Dom Thompson-Williams were all reassigned.
That leaves the Mariners with 52 players remaining in major league camp, including 37 roster players, and 15 non-roster invites.
Servais said several decisions are coming, but players were needed for the Mariners two split-squad games Sunday.
“We’re holding them through the split squad today,” he said. “We need a lot of guys to play today. Everybody will play today, so that’s kind of why there are so many guys still in camp.
“Once we get through today we have to thin it out very quickly.”
INJURY UPDATES
Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager (left wrist) had an MRI taken on his hand Saturday, Servais said, but results from the hand specialist he saw were not yet available Sunday.
Seager was injured in Friday night’s loss to the Cubs diving for a ball.
“The X-rays were negative, so you know, hoping for the best, hoping it’s nothing too serious,” Servais said. “But, hands are tricky, especially in our game, how important it is. We’ll have to wait and see.
“He won’t do anything today. Just trying to immobilize it, get the swelling down. He’s got it wrapped up.”
Servais said how the Mariners will approach Seager’s absence at third base will depend on how long he’s out for.
Ryon Healy started at third base Saturday and Sunday, but Servais said they were expecting to get him some work at that corner regardless of Seager’s injury.
“He was going to get a look there anyway,” Servais said. “Obviously this creates some more playing time for him, and certainly Ryon has played quite a few games at third base in the big leagues.
“I know he hasn’t done it in a while, but it’s not like you’re putting somebody over there that’s never been over there. ... But, we’ll run Ryon in there a bunch, along with Dylan Moore and Kris Negron and some of those other guys.”
Centerfielder Mallex Smith (elbow) was throwing and hitting again Sunday.
“Early reports in the cage yesterday were really good,” Servais said. “He progressed into a little bit more soft toss. If everything goes good today, he could get on the field for batting practice (Monday).”
Right-handed pitcher Hunter Strickland (lower back) has had some tightness, but Servais said he would get out and play catch Sunday, and is expected to return soon.
“I’m not that concerned based on what the medical staff is telling me,” Servais said. “I don’t think he did anything in the weight room or anything like that.
“He woke up one morning and his back was a little tight so we want to make sure he’s 100 percent before he goes out there again.”
Right-hander Gerson Bautista exited Sunday’s split-squad game against the Angles in Tempe after pitching 1/3 of an inning after appearing to grab at his right pectoral muscle. Servais did not have updates on his condition Sunday afternoon.
This story was originally published March 10, 2019 at 5:48 PM.
