Mariners add reliever Brady Lail, catcher Joe Odom; Yusei Kikuchi scratched from start
The Mariners made a handful of roster moves Friday afternoon ahead of their three-game series in Houston, including adding a reliever and making a catcher swap.
Brady Lail, who Seattle claimed off waivers from the White Sox earlier this week, has cleared intake protocols and has joined the Mariners in Texas.
The 27-year-old right-hander debuted for the Mariners in Friday’s loss to the Astros, tossing three scoreless innings with a walk and three strikeouts to close out the game.
Lail had appeared in relief in two major league games during his nine-year professional career prior to that — one this year with Chicago, and one last year with the Yankees — and gives the Mariners another multi-inning option in their bullpen.
“Lail comes to us as more of a multi-inning reliever, a guy that can go out there and throw two, 2 1/3, three innings for you in a ballgame,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said during his daily pregame video call with reporters Friday. “ ... That’s kind of been his skill set. Those are things that he can do.
“He’s got four pitches, and he can work through a lineup there, so that’s how he fit for us in the bullpen is the fact that he has a little bit more length.”
Seattle also swapped its two rookie catchers ahead of the Astros series, moving Joe Odom onto the active roster and optioning Joe Hudson.
Odom made his big league debut in a game against the Angels during Seattle’s first road trip in July, and has worked with some of the Mariners’ pitchers in the minors, notably rookie starters Justus Sheffield and Justin Dunn last season with Double-A Arkansas.
“Joe Odom’s done a great job, has a history with some of our young guys at the minor league level and working with them,” Servais said. “But, I think (Hudson’s) done a fine job. ... We will flip that position, could be back and forth a couple different times, and try to get the best out of both of those guys.
“Obviously Austin Nola will continue to carry the bulk of the catching load. He’ll be out there most the time and he’s playing great, but the other guy we just thought we’d give Joe (Odom) a shot here and put him in there. In this series he’s probably looking to start one game, and we’ll see where it goes from there.”
Hudson will remain on the traveling taxi squad until the Mariners return home next week before joining their alternate training site in Tacoma.
With the additions of Hudson and left-hander Taylor Guilbeau, who was also optioned Friday, the Mariners’ taxi squad is full at five players. Right-handers Ljay Newsome and Art Warren, and utility player Donovan Walton are also on the trip.
Utility player Patrick Wisdom, who was designated for assignment Monday, has been released.
KIKUCHI SCRATCHED FROM START
Mariners starter Yusei Kikuchi, who was scheduled to start Friday’s series opener in Houston, was scratched about an hour before game time with neck spasms.
Seattle turned to its bullpen to replace him on short notice, and between Nestor Cortes Jr. and Bryan Shaw, the Mariners allowed nine runs in the first inning in an eventual 11-1 loss.
Servais said postgame Friday he didn’t have a clear idea yet of Kikuchi’s status moving forward, but it was clear during pregame work the left-hander would not be able to make his fourth start of the season.
“I know it was bugging him when he came in,” Servais said. “He tried to get some treatment on it and actually went in the batting cage tried to throw, and he just wasn’t going to be able to post. ... I hope he’s able to maybe bounce back, and we can slide him in the rotation, and don’t have to wait a whole another week before he pitches. That’s what we’re hoping for.”
Kikuchi has looked sharp early on in his second year with the club after adding velocity in the offseason and improving his command.
He threw six shutout innings against the A’s during Seattle’s opening homestand two weeks ago, allowing just three hits and one walk while striking out nine, in one of his best starts as a Mariner.
He has a 0-1 record with a 5.28 ERA in three starts this season.
INJURY UPDATES
Eight Mariners players remain on the injured list, and Servais gave updates on several of them Friday:
▪ Starter Kendall Graveman (neck spasm) has looked into surgical options and spoken to specialists, but didn’t “get all of the answers he was looking for as far as if there was a surgical procedure that could instantly help the situation,” Servais said.
“I know he’s looking at possibly trying some different things rehab-wise with the hope of he can get back and pitch for us again at some point this season,” Servais said.
Graveman was placed on the 10-day IL earlier this month following his most recent start against the A’s, and said postgame that night he has dealt with this neck issue for “quite some time now.”
Graveman said then he experienced the discomfort in both of his starts for Seattle this season. He pitched a combined 8 2/3 innings with a 8.31 ERA in two starts before going on the IL.
▪ Catcher Tom Murphy, who has missed the first third of the season with a fracture in his left foot, is progressing, though he is not yet playing in intrasquad games in Tacoma.
“Maybe not as fast as he would like, but he’s feeling better, so that’s a positive there,” Servais said.
▪ Right-handed reliever Yoshihisa Hirano has been transferred to Tacoma from the Mariners’ facility in Arizona and threw in the bullpen there Friday.
Hirano reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 in June, which slowed his ramp up for the season.
He said Friday through interpreter Yumezo Densaki he arrived in Tacoma on Tuesday, and had a live batting practice session scheduled for Saturday. After that, he will likely pitch in intrasquad games.
“We’ll start getting him in there facing some live hitters with the hopes that, if he does that once or twice, he could be back with us here pretty soon,” Servais said.
▪ Right-handed relievers Austin Adams (knee surgery) and Brandon Brennan (left oblique strain) have moved to Arizona to continue their rehab work.
This story was originally published August 14, 2020 at 6:00 PM.
