Pregame notes, quotes, matchups, lineups for the Mariners' game vs. the Tigers on Monday at Comerica Park. Taijuan Walker has been sent back to Seattle to have a MRI on his ailing right foot.
The pain in Taijuan Walker’s right foot has escalated from nuisance to possibly injury, leaving his status to make his next start on Friday at Safeco Field far from determined.
Mariners manager Scott Servais confirmed that Walker is headed back to Seattle for a MRI and other tests on his right foot. Walker went to Comerica Park on Monday morning to receive treatment from head athletic trainer Rick Griffin for what has been diagnosed as “posterior tibial tendinitis.” After receiving treatment and some preliminary tests on the foot, the team decided to send him home for further examinations.
“He’s going to get checked out,” Servais said. “We’ll get him a MRI probably tomorrow. It tested out okay today once Rick got his hands on him. But I think everyone would feel more comfortable if we had some pictures of it.”
Walker has been dealing with tendinitis in the area just off his Achilles off and on this season. It flared up in his start on June 14 in Tampa and he was lifted from the game in the fourth inning. He spent the next five days resting and rehabbing the foot in order to start on Sunday in Boston. He felt confident that the treatment and rest had calmed down the problem. But it didn’t. Even with the foot heavily taped to provide stability, Walker felt discomfort almost immediately after his first pitch of the game.
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After throwing five innings and 88 pitches, the foot was too much of an issue and Walker felt unable to use his legs in his delivery. They pulled him from the game. Walker seemed optimistic that he would be ready to start on Friday night vs. the Cardinals. But Servais wasn’t quite as certain.
“I don’t know quite where are headed yet,” Servais said. “I’ll talk to Jerry (Dipoto) when he comes in today. I’m sure he’ll have some thoughts and see what are options are if he can’t go.”
Beyond the results of the MRI and other tests, the Mariners would also want to see Walker throw in a bullpen or flatground session before slotting him in to make the start. They could logically hold off till Thursday.
“He’s going to have to get out and throw off it,” Servais said. “So we could probably know before then.”
If Walker can’t go on Friday, the Mariners don’t necessarily have to place him on the DL if they feel the injury isn’t serious. They could try and juggle the rotation with the off day on Monday and buy him an extra day or two to recover. It could be done with a bullpen start or they could make a roster move for another player and go shorthanded while calling up a player to make a spot start in his place instead. Seattle has two likely candidates – right-hander Cody Martin and recently acquired right-hander Zach Lee. They are actually on the 40-man roster, which places them ahead of Donn Roach or Joe Wieland.
While Sunday evening’s trade that acquired Lee from the Dodgers and sent infielder Chris Taylor in return was more about getting some upper level starting pitch depth and a change of scenery for both former prospects in need of it, it could provide some relief for the rash of injuries to the starting rotation.
Lee has been starting all season for Class AAA Oklahoma City. He’s 7-5 in 13 starts. He last pitched on June 16. So the Mariners could use him in a two-inning relief scenario for his “throw day” on Tuesday and still have him start on Friday if needed.
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The Mariners expect Wade Miley to be ready to go and make the start on either June 28 or 29 against the Pirates at Safeco Field. Miley is eligible to come of the DL on June 28.
Batter vs. starting pitcher matchups
Mariners numbers vs. Mike Pelfrey
Tigers numbers vs. Nathan Karns
American League West Standings
Around the AL West
The Rangers swept the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Texas is figuring out a starter on Friday in place of Yu Darvish
Houston shut out the Reds
Jered Weaver tossed a shutout vs. the A’s … Jefry Marte got the nod over CJ Cron.
Henderson Alvarez had a setback in his return from shoulder surgery
On this day in Mariners’ history
- 1985 – The Mariners pounded out a club-record 20 hits as they beat the Texas Rangers, 11-3, at Arlington Stadium. Phil Bradley, Ivan Calderon, Jim Presley and Donnie Scott all had 3 hits, and Al Cowens drove in 4 runs for the Mariners.
- 1990 – Ken Griffey Jr. hits an inside-the-park HR giving the Mariners a 3-2 win at Kansas City.
- 2002 – Kazuhiro Sasaki picks up his 99th career save in a victory at Cincinnati to become Seattle’s all-time saves leader, passing Mike Schooler.
- 2010 – Casey Kotchman broke the Major League record for most consecutive games without committing and error (239). He beat out Kevin Youkillis’ previous record of 238 games.
- 2012 – Jason Vargas tied a Mariners record allowing 5 home runs (also Mark Langston & Jamie Moyer) in his 4.1 inning start at Arizona (9 H, 10 R). The Mariners lost 14-10, allowing 6 home runs to the Diamondbacks, including an inside-the-park HR by Ryan Roberts.
- 2014 – Brad Miller hit a go-ahead home run to lead off the 9th inning to catapult the Mariners to a 7-5 win over the Royals in front of a sold-out crowd at Kauffman Stadium.
- 2015 – The Mariners hit 3 home runs to back a solid start by Taijuan Walker’s career-high 11 strikeout performance in a 6-3 win over Houston…Walker’s 11 strikeouts with 0 walks combined with Elias’ 10 K’s the previous night marked the first time in club history starts have had back-to-back starts with 10+ strikeouts and 0 walks…Nelson Cruz hit his 19th home run of the season and first since May 27… Mark Trumbo hit his first home run with the Mariners.
- 2015 – Edgar Martinez was named as the Mariners Major League hitting coach. Howard Johnson, who had been serving in that role, has been re-assigned to the Mariners minor league system.
Pitching probables
Game notes