Mariners Update

Published 11:46 pm Monday, May 3, 2010

NEXT SERIES

Opponent: Tampa Bay Rays

When: 7:10 p.m. today, Wednesday and Thursday

Where: Safeco Field

TV: FSN, all three games

Radio: Espn710 AM, all three games

Pitchers: Today — Seattle left-hander Jason Vargas (2-1, 3.60 earned run average) vs. right-hander James Shields (3-0, 3.38). Wednesday — Left-hander Cliff Lee (0-0, 0.00) vs. right-hander Matt Garza (4-1, 2.06). Thursday — Left-hander Ryan Rowland-Smith (0-1, 5.28) vs. right-hander Jeff Niemann (1-0, 2.76).

Mariners say good-bye RHP Orta

The Mariners placed minor league pitcher Ricky Orta on waivers Monday in order to grant the right-hander his unconditional release, clearing space on their 40-man roster to accommodate the moves they made Sunday.

After Sunday’s game, the Mariners released outfielder Eric Byrnes and optioned infielder/outfielder Matt Tuiasosopo to Class AAA Tacoma, calling up outfielder Ryan Langerhans and infielder Josh Wilson from Tacoma.

The Mariners still needed to move one player in order to reach the 40-man roster limit, and they did it by placing Orta on waivers.

Orta pitched in two spring training games for the Mariners before they optioned him to Class AA West Tennessee. He didn’t throw a pitch there, having suffered an elbow injury that required “Tommy John” ligament surgery. Because of the injury, Orta is likely to clear the waiver process, which would allow the Mariners to re-sign him.

Orta, drafted by the Mariners in the sixth round in 2006, is 14-18 in his minor league career. He went 4-5 with a 5.20 earned run average with the Everett AquaSox in 2006.

Kirby Arnold, Herald Writer