MINNEAPOLIS — The Seattle Mariners called up first baseman/designated hitter Jesus Montero and infielder Ketel Marte from Triple-A Tacoma and each appear to be in line for regular duty. Both were in the lineup Friday against the Twins: Montero at first base; Marte at second base in place of still-ailing Robinson Cano.
It was Marte’s major-league debut.
“Very energetic young man,” manager Lloyd McClendon said. “Very instinctive type of player with an ability to steal bases. A switch-hitter. I don’t think there’s any manager in baseball who doesn’t like switch-hitters.
“That certainly brings a different dynamic to what we’re doing. I’m going to put him in the leadoff spot and see what he can do.”
Marte, 21, was batting .314 in 65 games at Tacoma. A native Dominican, he signed with the organization in 2010 and recently started at shortstop in the All-Star Futures Game and the Triple-A All-Star Game. He played 65 games for the Everett AquaSox in 2012 where he hit .247 with 14 stolen bases.
“I’m a little nervous,” he said, “but that’s normal. I’m good.”
Montero, 25, is back this season for the third time. He was 3-for-10 in five games in his previous two tours and returns after batting .346 at Tacoma with 16 homers and 75 RBI in 93 games.
“My hope is to play him as much as possible,” McClendon said. “We need to find out about him and see what he’s got.”
Minor details
Hi-A Bakersfield outfielder Tyler O’Neill is No. 6 on Baseball America’s weekly Prospect Hot Sheet, which seeks to identify which prospects are surging.
O’Neill, 20, was 10-for-20 with three homers and 10 RBI over the last seven games. He was Mariners’ third-round pick in the 2013 draft.
“O’Neill faces big questions about his hit tool,” Baseball America reported, “but there are no such worries about his power. The Canadian outfielder is third in the California League with 21 home runs.
“O’Neill’s .280 isolated power is exceptional, but his 31.5 percent strikeout rate will have to improve for O’Neill to continue to get to his power consistently.”
Looking back
It was 19 years ago Saturday — Aug. 1, 1996 — that left-hander Jamie Moyer, acquired two days earlier from Boston for outfielder Darren Bragg, won his first start as a Mariner in a 9-2 victory at Milwaukee.
Moyer permitted one earned run and four hits in seven innings. It was the first of his 323 starts for the Mariners over 11 seasons. That was a franchise record until Wednesday, when Felix Hernandez made his 324th start.
Hernandez also passed Moyer earlier this year for the franchise record in innings pitched, but Moyer remains No. 1 with 145 victories. Hernandez is second at 137.
Moyer will be inducted Aug. 8 as the ninth member of the Mariners Hall of Fame in a pregame ceremony at Safeco Field.
Short hops
Second baseman Robinson Cano remains slowed by a strained abdominal muscle. He hasn’t played since Tuesday, although the Mariners remain hopeful he might be able to serve this weekend as the designated hitter. … First baseman Logan Morrison continues to nurse a bruised left thumb but was available, McClendon said prior to the game, to serve as a defensive replacement in a pinch. … Austin Jackson entered Friday needing to score just one more run to reach 500 for his career. … The Mariners entered Friday with a .265 club average in July after batting just .230 over the season’s first three months. Even so, they were 11-15 in July. Here’s why: the Mariners, prior to Friday, had a 4.77 ERA in July. The last time they finished a month above 4.00 was September 2013.
On tap
The Mariners and Twins continue their four-game series with a start time listed as 4:10 p.m. Pacific time Saturday at Target Field.
The actual start could be delayed up to 30 minutes because the Twins are honoring their 1965 club, which won the American League pennant, in a pregame ceremony.
Once the game starts, left-hander Mike Montgomery (4-4, 3.20) will start against Minnesota right-hander Kyle Gibson (8-8, 3.48). The game can be seen on Root Sports Northwest and heard on 710 ESPN.
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