Mariners add pitchers Taylor Guilbeau, Ljay Newsome; Nestor Cortes placed on 10-day IL
Following Friday’s series-opening loss in Houston, during which the Mariners had to scramble to find a pitcher to fill in for scheduled starter Yusei Kikcuhi, the club made more roster moves Saturday.
Reliever Nestor Cortes, who was tapped about an hour before game time Friday to replace Kikuchi, has been placed on the 10-day injured list with an impingement in his left elbow.
Cortes didn’t make it out of the first inning Friday against the Astros’ punishing lineup, recording one just out while allowing eight runs (seven earned) on five hits, including back-to-back home runs, while walking two and striking out one.
He threw 41 pitches, which was on pace in volume with some of his appearances out of the bullpen earlier this season — his season-high was 44 in a relief appearance against the A’s on Aug. 3 — but he hadn’t pitched in a game in seven days before Friday’s sudden start.
He said postgame his arm “felt good” entering the outing, but he felt discomfort in the triceps area afterward.
Kikuchi, who was scratched with neck spasms Friday, remains on the active roster, and Servais said Saturday his second-year starter was feelling “a little bit better.”
“I know he was in today and he’s had some treatment,” Servais said. “He’s trying to play catch, just to keep his arm going a little bit and see how that feels. ... So, keep our fingers crossed. I was hoping there would be a little bit more improvement today, but we’ll take it a day at a time right now.”
Servais said the neck issue was something Kikuchi woke up with ahead of Friday’s scheduled start.
Kikuchi attempted to throw in the batting cage before the start, but Servais said postgame Friday it became clear Kikuchi “just wasn’t going to be able to post.”
The hope is the Mariners might be able to slot Kikuchi back in the rotation before his next scheduled start if the issue can be resolved.
Cortes is now one of seven pitchers the Mariners currently have on the IL.
Servais said Friday starter Kendall Graveman (neck spasms) 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.”
“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.
Reliever Yoshihisa Hirano, who has been on the IL since mid-July, has been transferred to Tacoma from the Mariners’ facility in Arizona and was scheduled to throw a live batting practice session Saturday.
If his ramp up proceeds as planned, he will likely throw in some intrasquad games at the alternate site before joining the Mariners.
“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 Friday.
Relievers Austin Adams (knee surgery) and Brandon Brennan (left oblique strain) have been moved to the club’s complex in Arizona to continue their rehab.
Reliever Gerson Bautista (right elbow UCL sprain) was injured in summer camp, and reliever Carl Edwards Jr. (right forearm strain) has been out for nearly a week.
With Cortes being moved to the IL, the Mariners elevated Taylor Guilbeau and Ljay Newsome from their traveling taxi squad.
This is Guilbeau’s third stint with the Mariners this season. He’s appeared in five games, posted a 1.69 ERA across 5 1/3 innings and gives Seattle another left-handed arm in the bullpen.
Newsome has been in Seattle’s minor league system since 2015, when he was drafted out of Maryland’s Chopticon High School in the 26th round as an 18-year-old.
Now 23 years old, the right-hander has pitched at every level of the minors for the Mariners, primarily as a starter.
He would make his big league debut in his first appearance.
“Ljay has been a starter throughout his career in the minor leagues, so it covers us up if something would happen early in the game tonight,” Servais said. “Lengthwise he could probably go out there and hopefully give you five or six innings if you needed them.
“I think everybody knows Ljay’s history. He’s been a Mariner for a while, but he’s a strike thrower. He gets right after it. No nonsense.”
To make room for Newsome on the 40-man roster, which remains full, the Mariners designated veteran reliever Bryan Shaw for assignment.
Shaw, who the Mariners signed as a free agent last month, appeared in six games and posted an 18.00 ERA across six innings. He consented to being optioned to the club’s alternate site when Seattle pared down its active roster earlier this month, but was recalled just four days later when Edwards was placed on the IL.
With Guilbeau and Newsome activated, Seattle has three remaining players — right-hander Art Warren, catcher Joe Hudson and utility player Donovan Walton — remaining on its traveling taxi squad with six games left to play on this road trip in Houston, Anaheim and Los Angeles before heading home.
This story was originally published August 15, 2020 at 1:33 PM.
