SEATTLE — Utility infielder Luis Sardinas reached his required 10-day stay in the minors Tuesday and could be headed back to the big leagues to help fill the gap created by an injury to shortstop Ketel Marte.
That move could come as soon as Wednesday.
The Seattle Mariners initially opted to replace Marte by recalling shortstop Chris Taylor prior to Sunday’s game in Cincinnati, but Taylor committed two errors Monday that led to four unearned runs in a 5-0 loss to Oakland.
Shawn O’Malley started Tuesday at shortstop, but club officials have repeatedly indicated they don’t view him as an everyday alternative to Marte, who suffered a sprained left thumb Saturday on a slide at second base in Cincinnati.
The Mariners have made no announcement regarding a possible roster move, but Sardinas was not in the starting lineup Tuesday for Triple-A Tacoma at Round Rock (Rangers).
Sardinas, 23, beat out Taylor in spring training for duty as the club’s utility infielder but he played sparingly over the first month, which prompted a May 14 decision to option him to Tacoma in order to get some regular at-bats.
Players who are optioned to the minors can’t be recalled for 10 days unless they replace a player put on the disabled list. Sardinas is batting .406 (13-for-32) in eight games for the Rainiers.
Manager Scott Servais indicated Taylor would get an opportunity to rebound from his two-error performance but also warned: “You have to perform. This is a do-good league. If you do good, you stay. If you don’t, you don’t stay.”
Marte is not expected to be ready to play when eligible to return June 6 from the disabled list.
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