ARLINGTON, Texas — Although they waited almost until Sunday’s deadline to make it official, the Seattle Mariners offered no late surprises in setting their 25-man active roster for the regular season.
■ Catcher Rob Brantly was designated for assignment, which means the club chose Steve Clevenger as its backup to Chris Iannetta. The Mariners now have 10 days in which to reach a resolution on Brantly.
While they could trade or release him, the Mariners want to retain Brantly and are likely to send him through waivers in the hope that he goes unclaimed. If so, he can then be sent to the minors.
■ By designating Brantly for assignment, the Mariners cleared a space on their 40-man roster for reliever Joel Peralta, who had previously been told he would make the club.
■ Two relievers were placed on the 15-day disabled list: left-hander Charlie Furbush and right-hander Evan Scribner. Neither pitched during spring training.
Furbush has been undergoing a series of blood injections — Regenokine therapy — in hopes of accelerating the healing process in his ailing left shoulder. While he is expected to begin throwing by mid-April, he isn’t expected to be game-ready for several months.
Scribner is recovering from a strained latissimus dorsi muscle in his back that proved more severe than initially believed. He isn’t expected to return until mid-May at the earliest.
■Four players were reassigned to minor-league camp and will open the season at Triple-A Tacoma: first baseman/outfielder Efren Navarro, outfielder Daniel Robertson and right-handed pitchers Donn Roach and Blake Parker.
Tacoma opens its 144-game schedule Thursday against Albuquerque (Rockies) at Cheney Stadium.
Major League Baseball’s deadline for clubs to set their rosters for opening day was 9 a.m. Pacific time Sunday, but the Mariners signaled their intention through their traveling party when they broke camp after Saturday’s game in Arizona.
The Mariners open the season at 1:10 p.m. Pacific time Monday against Texas at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Right-hander Felix Hernandez will start against Rangers lefty Cole Hamels.
25-man roster
Rotation (5): Hernandez, RHP Hisashi Iwakuma, LHP Wade Miley, RHP Taijuan Walker and RHP Nathan Karns.
Bullpen (7): RHP Steve Cishek (closer), RHP Joaquin Benoit, RHP Tony Zych, RHP Joel Peralta, RHP Nick Vincent, LHP Vidal Nuno and LHP Mike Montgomery.
Catchers (2): Iannetta and Clevenger.
Infielders (6): 1B Adam Lind, 1B Dae-Ho Lee, 2B Robinson Cano, SS Ketel Marte, 3B Kyle Seager and UTL Luis Sardinas.
Outfielders (5): LF Nori Aoki, CF Leonys Martin, RF Seth Smith, RF Franklin Gutierrez and DH Nelson Cruz.
Uniform numbers
Dae-Ho Lee isn’t the only player getting a new number.
Just-acquired reliever Nick Vincent is switching to No. 50, which he wore with San Diego, after wearing No. 83 over the previous few days. No. 50 came available when the Mariners reassigned pitcher Blake Parker to the minors.
Lee was able to switch to No. 10 after it became available when the Mariners lost first baseman Jesus Montero to Toronto last week in a waiver claim.
Veteran reliever Joel Peralta opted to keep No. 62 when added to the roster.
Looking back
It was two years ago Monday — April 4, 2014 — that the Mariners’ game at Oakland was rained out because the O.co Coliseum grounds crew didn’t cover the field prior to an overnight rain storm.
It was the Mariners’ first rainout in Oakland since April 10, 1982.
Short hops
The Mariners enter their 40th season with an all-time record of 2,898-3,295. Their 14-year postseason drought in the longest in baseball. … Felix Hernandez is making his ninth start in a season opener, including his eighth consecutive start. He is 6-0 with a 1.49 ERA in his previous eight starts in season openers. … The Mariners are opening on the road for the seventh time in eight years. … The Mariners have a nine-game winning streak in season openers, which matches the American League record set by the St. Louis Browns from 1937-45. The Mariners are 24-15 overall in season openers. … Scott Servias is the 20th manager in Mariners history. That total includes three interim managers. … The Mariners are 1-1 in previous openers against the Rangers, but the two previous games (1992 and 2008) were in Seattle. This is the first time the Mariners have opened the season in the state of Texas.
On tap
The Mariners open their 40th season with a three-games series against the Texas Rangers, the reigning division champions, at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas. All three games can be seen on Root Sports Northwest.
■ Monday: right-hander Felix Hernandez (18-9 with a 3.53 ERA in 2015) vs. Texas lefty Cole Hamels (13-8, 3.65 with Texas and Philadelphia), at 1:05 p.m. Pacific time.
■ Tuesday: right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma (9-5, 3.54) vs. Texas lefty Martin Perez (3-6, 4.46), at 5:05 p.m. Pacific time.
■ Wednesday: left-hander Wade Miley (11-11, 4.46 with Boston) vs. Texas right-hander Colby Lewis (17-9, 4.66), at 11:05 a.m. Pacific time.
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