M’s notebook: Team will allow Diaz to pitch in WBC title game
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, March 21, 2017
PEORIA, Ariz. — Well…how were the Seattle Mariners going to say no?
Manager Scott Servais confirmed Tuesday that closer Edwin Diaz has the club’s permission to pitch Wednesday night for Puerto Rico, if needed, in the championship game of the World Baseball Classic at Dodger Stadium.
“I’m sure they will use him if they need him (Wednesday) night,” Servais said.
Puerto Rico will play either the United States or Japan in the title game.
While neither Servais nor general manager Jerry Dipoto would address whether any restrictions were placed on Diaz, it’s unlikely he will pitch more than one inning in the championship game.
The question regarding Diaz’s availability stemmed from the fact he worked two innings Monday in the semifinals when Puerto Rico beat The Netherlands 4-3 in 11 innings.
Diaz struck out the side in the 10th inning and worked around the tiebreaker rule in the 11th inning, which started with runners on first and second.
“I am ready to pitch on Wednesday,” Diaz said after Monday’s victory. “I’m going to talk to my organization to see (if I can) because it’s the last game. And I think that I have a day of rest because (Tuesday) we’re off.
“I’m going to see if they give me the break…I hope they say yes.”
Servais previously pointed to the WBC as being a big benefit to Diaz because of its highly intense atmosphere.
“It should be a big benefit for him,” Servais said. “I thought he made some big pitches (Monday) night. You watch what he did and how he responded — you have to experience that. Hopefully, we’ll benefit from that quite a bit down the road.”
Smyly struggles
This one was almost too easy to predict.
Lefty Drew Smyly labored through 90 pitches while recording just 12 outs Tuesday in a minor-league game against El Paso, the Triple-A affiliate for the San Diego Padres.
Smyly gave up six runs and seven hits over five innings. Three of the innings were halted in progress — rolled over — because of pitch-count limits.
“He working on some changeups, cutters and stuff,” pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. said. “He was not using as many curveballs as he typically would. For me, the curveball and the high fastball kind of play off each other.”
The Mariners chose to have Smyly start a minor-league game rather than face Oakland, an American League West opponent. Tuesday’s outing also amounted to a significant emotional drop.
Smyly’s previous start came for the United States against Venezuela, and teammate Felix Hernandez, in the World Baseball Classic. Smyly allowed only one unearned run in that game over 4 2/3 innings while striking out eight.
Right-hander Yovani Gallardo faces a similar challenge Wednesday when he will pitch in a minor-league game to avoid facing the Los Angeles Angels, another division opponent.
