M’s notebook: Paxton placed on DL with strained forearm

Published 1:30 am Friday, May 5, 2017

SEATTLE — The hits keep coming in the Seattle Mariners’ rotation.

Left-handed pitcher James Paxton was placed on the 10-day disabled list because of a strained forearm muscle prior to Friday’s series opener against Texas at Safeco Field. The move is retroactive to May 3.

“It’s a grade 1 forearm strain,” general manager Jerry Dipoto said. “There is no sign of anything else. The ligament is fine. There is no tear. But we are going to be as cautious here as we have to be.

“He will miss at least two starts and, we think in all likelihood, that’s what it will be: two missed starts.”

Paxton joins two other starting pitchers on the disabled list: right-hander Felix Hernandez is on the 10-day list because of bursitis in his shoulder, and lefty Drew Smyly is on the 60-day list because of a flexor strain in his elbow.

“It sucks,” Paxton said. “Not what I wanted to happen, obviously. Luckily, it’s a minor thing. It’s not going to be a long stint here. I’m hoping that it’s just going to be a couple of starts. Maybe three at the most that I’ll miss. Then I’ll be back.”

Dipoto said veteran right-hander Christian Bergman will be recalled this weekend from Triple-A Tacoma. Either Bergman or lefty Dillon Overton will start Sunday in Paxton’s place against the Rangers.

The Mariners also optioned outfielder Boog Powell prior to Friday’s game. To replace Paxton and Powell on the 25-man active roster, the Mariners recalled infielder Mike Freeman and reliever Evan Marshall from the Rainiers.

Paxton emerged this season as a dominant starter at 3-0 with a 1.43 ERA in six outings. He said he first “felt a little something” during his April 26 start in Detroit but didn’t become concerned until the soreness escalated Tuesday against the Angels.

“In Detroit,” he said, “we had a long inning of hitting. I went out and think I tried to amp up too quickly. I felt a little something, but I was fine. I went on pitching. Obviously, everything worked out fine in that game.”

Paxton pitched seven scoreless innings and struck out nine in an 8-0 victory over the Tigers.

“It was a little bit sore (afterward),” he said, “but my throwing was fine throughout the week. I thought I was OK. Then in the LA game, it just got tighter and tighter as the game went on. Once I came out of the game, it was pretty sore.”

Plans call for Paxton to refrain from throwing for five days to allow the soreness to dissipate. He is eligible to return May 12 from the disabled list but likely won’t pitch until a seven-game homestand that begins May 15.

Dipoto did have some positive news regarding the rotation.

Right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma is expected to make his next scheduled start after being hit on the left knee by a line drive in Wednesday’s victory over the Mariners.

“He’s got a bruise on what is called the fatty pad of his knee,” Dipoto said. “I think he felt like he was fine to just keep pitching. But we’ll approach it cautiously. The ball hit him pretty good. He is on track to make his next start.”

Dipoto also said Hernandez should begin a throwing program within the next few days after leaving an April 25 start in Detroit because of bursitis in his shoulder.

Hernandez could be ready to rejoin the rotation by mid-May.

“Felix is doing well,” Dipoto said. “He’ll be into a throwing program within the next few days. Fingers crossed, we’re probably closer to the optimistic three weeks (of recovery) rather than the four-week mark.”

Dipoto said Smyly is pain-free in his recovery but that no decision regarding a pitching program will be made until the end of the month. If all goes well, Smyly could rejoin the rotation in late June.

Next man up

The choice between Bergman or Overton to replace Paxton as the starter for Sunday’s game against the Rangers could hinge on whether the Mariners use Overton earlier in the series.

“If we have a chance to win the game, and he’s our guy,” manager Scott Servais said, “we’re going to use him.”

Dipoto said Bergman, 29, will be recalled this weekend from Triple-A Tacoma either to start Sunday or replace Overton, 25, as the club’s long reliever.

Overton is a starting pitcher who is currently serving in the bullpen, where he has allowed six runs and seven hits in 7 1/3 innings over four appearances. He also pitched twice at Triple-A Tacoma, allowing five runs in 5 1/3 innings.

Bergman served as a swingman over parts of the last three seasons at Colorado, going 5-9 with a 5.79 ERA, before signing a minor-league deal with the Mariners as a free agent on Dec. 1.

After showing little in spring training, Bergman has been a sensation at Tacoma: 5-0 with a 2.17 ERA in five starts.

“He’s dealing,” Dipoto said. “Christian Bergman, the reason why we picked him up is his command. His strike-throwing. In spring training, the stuff was blah, and the command was not great.

“He was just middle-of-the-plate, and he was behind 2-0, 2-1. And now you’re throwing below-average stuff in the middle of the plate. That’s not great. What he’s doing now is, instead of hitting the middle of the plate, he’s carving.”

Looking ahead

Three things to note heading into Saturday’s pitching matchup between right-hander Chase De Jong and Texas lefty Martin Perez:

— De Jong has never faced the Rangers. Perez is 5-2 with a 3.06 ERA in 13 career games, including 11 starts, against the Mariners. He is 2-2 with a 4.09 ERA in seven career games at Safeco Field.

— No current Rangers have ever faced De Jong in the big leagues.

— Kyle Seager is 14-for-32 (.438) with four homers in his career against Perez. Nelson Cruz is 6-for-12 (.500) with three homers. Danny Valencia is 6-for-16 (.375), but Robinson Cano is just 4-for-20 (.200).

Looking back

It was 27 years ago Saturday — May 6, 1990 — that third baseman Edgar Martinez set a franchise record by committing four errors in a 5-4 victory over Baltimore at the Kingdome.

On tap

The Mariners and Rangers continue their three-game series at 6:10 p.m. Saturday at Safeco Field when rookie right-hander Chase De Jong (0-2 with an 11.05 ERA) opposes Texas left-hander Martin Perez (1-4, 4.26).

The game can be seen on Root Sports Northwest and heard on 710 ESPN and the Mariners Radio Network, including mariners.com (for subscribers to MLB.tv).

The series and the six-game homestand concludes at 1:10 p.m. Sunday. The Mariners then have an open date Monday before starting a six-game trip to Philadelphia and Toronto.