Ache-and-pain report: Saunders improving but not ready (plus lineups)

The Mariners are rolling out the same lineup as last night, and before you cringe again at Casey Kotchman batting third or the four hitters in the lineup batting .240 or lower, this is the crew that beat on Jack Greinke last night.

Ryan Langerhans is back in left field because Michael Saunders remains sore after his crash into the wall Thursday night. Manager Don Wakamatsu said he probably would miss a couple more games.

Other notes:

As we wrote last night, Erik Bedard had bone spurs removed from his left shoulder on Friday. Wakamatsu said the labrum, which was repaired last August, was in good shape. Still, Bedard is finished for this season but he should be at full strength by spring training, Wakamatsu said.

Whose spring training?

Wakamatsu said that’s for the Mariners’ front office to determine. A few minutes ago, Bedard told reporters that he wouldn’t be opposed to returning.

Reliever Shawn Kelley had both an MRI and CAT scan on his sore right elbow on Friday. The MRI didn’t show anything, but because Kelley had Tommy John surgery seven years ago, he said an MRI image sometimes can be distorted. The CAT scan is expected to show whether there’s a problem with the bone, although the Mariners don’t have the results of that yet.

Here are tonight’s lineups:

ROYALS

Grego Blanco, center field

Jason Kendall, catcher

Billy Butler, DH

Kila Ka’aihue, first base

Wilson Betemit, third base

Alex Gordon, left field

Mitch Maier, right field

Mike Aviles, shortstop

Chris Getz, second base

Left-hander Bruce Chen (6-5, 4.74), starting pitcher

MARINERS

Ichiro Suzuki, right field

Chone Figgins, second base

Casey Kotchman, first base

Russell Branyan, DH

Franklin Gutierrez, center field

Jose Lopez, third base

Adam Moore, catcher

Ryan Langerhans, left field

Jack Wilson, shortstop

Right-hander David Pauley (0-3, 3.47), starting pitcher