Mariners option Lowe to Tacoma
Published 8:09 pm Monday, August 25, 2008
Mark Lowe limped off the field Saturday night and won’t limp back for a while. The Mariners optioned the right-handed reliever to Class AAA Tacoma this afternoon.
They replaced him with right-hander Randy Messenger, who went 6-0 with one save and a 2.38 ERA in 12 appearances with Tacoma. The Mariners signed Messenger July 10, one day after the San Francisco Giants released him.
Lowe was hit on his left foot Saturday night by a Frank Thomas line drive and was hobbling around the clubhouse Sunday. The foot was only bruised and Lowe believed he’d be healthy enough to pitch in about five days.
Even though it was a minor injury, it was another hit to a Mariners bullpen that has lost much of its core in the past few weeks. The M’s traded Arthur Rhodes to the Marlins in July and, early this month, sent Brandon Morrow to Tacoma to be converted into a starter. So, needing an able body, the Mariners sent the call to Tacoma and grabbed Messenger.
The move impacts Lowe very little, if at all. The Mariners will be able to call him up Sept. 2, the day after Tacoma’s season ends. Normally he’d have to wait 10 days before the M’s could call him back up, but because the Tacoma season is ending they can bring him back right away. Lowe also won’t lose his year of major league service time.
Lowe pitched in 50 games, witha 1-4 record, one save and a 5.73 ERA. While the numbers weren’t outstanding, his season could be considered a success simply because his arm has held up. Lowe had elbow surgery in 2006 and, at one point, doctors feared he might not pitch again.
He hasn’t suffered any arm-related problems this year and was eager to pitch through September and show that he’s back from a health standpoint. He still may get that chance because, with teams able to expand rosters on Sept. 1, it could be a matter of days before he’s back with the Mariners.
