Betancourt going on DL, Johjima coming off
Published 12:10 pm Thursday, June 25, 2009
Welcome to the land of the walking — or hobbling — wounded, where if you’re not a Seattle Mariner with a strain, bruise, impingement or bone spur, you’re probably not a Seattle Mariner.
Shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt is the latest to be struck down, having pulled up with a strained right hamstring while running to first base in the eighth inning Wednesday night. Manager Don Wakamatsu said Betancourt won’t have an MRI until this afternoon, but the Mariners have placed him on the 15-day disabled list. In the meantime, Ronny Cedeno will be the stop-gap shortstop.
No other roster move is needed today because Jose Lopez is back from bereavement leave in Venezuela. Friday, however, catcher Kenji Johjima will come off the disabled list and start against the Dodgers.
If you’re keeping score on this homestand, this makes Betancourt, Adrian Beltre (shoulder), Ken Griffey Jr. (knee), Russell Branyan (forearm) and Chris Woodward (groin) who’ve missed games because of injuries.
It got so bad that someone in the press box mentioned yesterday that with all these ailments around him, pitcher Erik Bedard may need another week to get his shoulder back in shape.
Well guess what? Bedard needs another week. Wakamatsu said this morning that Bedard won’t return to the rotation next week in New York as originally planned. The team hopes he’ll throw on the side and a simulated game in New York with an eye toward starting him July 4 at Boston. Bedard, who had a general surgical cleanup of his shoulder last September, felt discomfort early this month and had an MRI, which didn’t show any structural problem.
Here are today’s lineups:
PADRES
Everth Cabrera, shortstop
David Eckstein, second base
Scott Hairston, center field
Adrian Gonzalez, DH
Kevin Kouzmanoff, third base
Chase Headley, left field
Kyle Blanks, first base
Edgar Gonzalez, right field
Henry Blanco, catcher
Left-hander Wade LeBlanc (0-0, 9.00), starting pitcher
MARINERS
Ichiro Suzuki, right field
Russell Branyan, first base
Adrian Beltre, third base
Mike Sweeney, DH
Jose Lopez, second base
Franklin Gutierrez, center field
Rob Johnson, catcher
Ronny Cedeno, shortstop
Wladimir Balentien, left field
Left-hander Jarrod Washburn (3-5, 3.24), starting pitcher
