ANAHEIM, Calif. — Outfielder Stefen Romero will rejoin the Mariners when they return Friday from the All-Star break and open a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels.
The Mariners recalled Romero on Thursday from Class AAA Tacoma after clearing roster space by optioning left-handed relief pitcher Lucas Luetge back to the Rainiers.
The move means the Mariners are again operating with a four-player bench and a seven-player bullpen.
Romero, 25, batted .283 with three homers and nine RBI in 11 games at Tacoma following his June 29 demotion. He batted .196 with three homers and 11 RBI in 59 big-league games prior to that move.
Luetge, 27, returns to Tacoma for the fourth time this season. He pitched one scoreless inning in his only appearance following his July 10 recall.
Walker pushed back
Right-handed pitcher Taijuan Walker isn’t likely to make an immediate return to the big-league rotation after the Mariners pushed back his next start in Tacoma. Walker is now slotted to pitch Friday at Reno, which takes him off-schedule to reclaim the fifth spot in the big-league rotation for next Tuesday’s game against the New York Mets at Safeco Field.
“Taijuan just needs a little more time,” Seattle general manager Jack Zduriencik said. “He got up here this year, fairly quick (after battling a shoulder injury). That was, more or less, out of necessity.
“What we’d like to do is have Taijuan get a few more games under his belt. But we’ll see. We haven’t made any kind of commitment.”
Right-hander Erasmo Ramirez is scheduled to start Thursday for Tacoma, but the Mariners have made no announcement regarding their starter for next Tuesday’s game.
Zduriencik acknowledged it’s unlikely Walker will face the Mets.
“That would be challenging,” Zduriencik said, “for him to be able to come back on Tuesday.”
Beavan to Tacoma
Right-handed pitcher Blake Beavan is shifting to Tacoma to continue his recovery from shoulder tendinitis, which surfaced in an April 15 start at Texas.
Beavan, 25, returned to game action Monday when he allowed two runs and three hits in two innings for Hi-A High Desert in a 7-2 victory at Lake Elsinore.
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