SEATTLE — The King’s Court will remain in recess until next season.
Manager Lloyd McClendon announced Wednesday that ace right-hander Felix Hernandez won’t pitch this weekend when the Mariners conclude their season with three games against Oakland at Safeco Field.
“Felix has given me his heart and soul this year,” McClendon said. “I just don’t want to stress him any more than I have to. This is the right thing to do, much like I did (in shutting down) Taijuan Walker.”
Hernandez, 29, battled elbow stiffness in recent starts but insisted he is healthy and that he wanted to pitch.
“Like I told Lloyd,” he said, “`I’m fine to go out there to win a ballgame.’ He said, `I can’t let you go out there to pitch.’
“I said, `Can I pinch-hit at least?’ He said, `Maybe you will. But you’re not going to pitch.’ I want to do that. I’m going to be bored the last four days. I won’t know what to do.’”
The Mariners will start Hisashi Iwakuma, Roenis Elias and Vidal Nuno in their final three games. Hernandez finishes at 18-9 with a 3.53 ERA in 31 starts.
“I don’t make the decisions here,” Hernandez said. “I want to pitch. They said, `We’re not going anywhere,’ so they decided to rest me.
“I understand. We’ve been talking the last few days. Been talking to the doctors, and I think that’s why I’m not pitching. I said, `OK. Whatever you guys think.’”
McClendon decision means Hernandez will finish nine strikeouts shy of recording a seventh consecutive season with 200 innings (he has 201 2/3) and 200 strikeouts.
Hernandez admitted it was a disappointment to fall short. The major-league record is nine straight seasons by Tom Seaver. The only other pitchers with more than six are Walter Johnson and Roger Clemens.
McClendon admitted it would have “tougher” to shut down Hernandez if the Mariners were playing a postseason contender instead of the Athletics, who have the American League’s worst record.
“You’re talking about the integrity of the game,” McClendon said. “That would be awfully tough to do.”
Hernandez characterized his season as a disappointment.
“One time, I was good,” he said. “Then not good. I had some really bad games this year like I’ve never had before. I gave up 10 runs in Boston. I gave up eight in Houston with (only getting) one out. That’s not me.
“I don’t know how many homers I gave up, but I think I gave up a lot of homers. (He matched a career worst in giving up 23) I was up in the zone. When I made a mistake, they hit it.
“We’ll see what happens next year. I think I’ll be better next year.”
The Mariners open the 2016 season on April 4 at Texas.
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