Opponent: New York Yankees
When: 1:05 p.m.
Where: Safeco Field
TV: Fox Sports Net (cable)
Radio: KOMO (1000 AM)
Pitchers: Seattle left-hander Jamie Moyer (1-2, 4.50 earned run average) vs. left-hander Donovan Osborne (2-0, 3.18).
Bret Boone wore a weight-lifter’s belt under his uniform and returned to the lineup, and Willie Bloomquist pondered the one factor common to the two players’ back problems.
“Maybe it was the beds in Detroit,” Bloomquist said.
Boone played Saturday after missing Friday night’s game against the Yankees because of back spasms, the second time in a week he had to take a seat. Bloomquist went on the 15-day disabled list last Sunday with a strained lower back.
Bloomquist was only kidding about the beds in Detroit, but both he and Boone started hurting last weekend in Detroit.
“I don’t want to blame beds or anything, but it seems unusual to have a lot of bad backs,” Bloomquist said.
Boone felt better, although not perfect, Saturday and he wore a tightly cinched weight lifter’s belt under his uniform.
Bloomquist said his back felt better Saturday, when he experienced another round of treatment.
“Same stuff, different day,” he said. “But it feels better. If I wasn’t on the DL, I feel like I could play. But I’ve got to be careful about it, not try and come back too quick. I’ve got to take it easy for a couple of days and ease back into it.”
Bloomquist, eligible to come off the DL May 19, will travel with the Mariners to Minnesota and New York and probably play some minor league rehab games in about a week. He played catch before batting practice Saturday and may begin fielding ground balls today.
Welcome back, Alex: Besides the thunder of boos directed at Alex Rodriguez, one group of fans began chanting during his first at-bat Saturday: “You sold out! You sold out!”
Backups start: The Mariners’ lineup had a couple of new looks Saturday when Quinton McCracken started in center field and Pat Borders at catcher.
McCracken got the call because of his .583 career batting average off Yankees starting pitcher Mike Mussina, compared with starting center fielder Randy Winn’s .216 average against the Yankees right-hander.
Borders, just .167 off Mussina, started Saturday because Dan Wilson will catch Jamie Moyer in this afternoon’s series finale against the Yankees.
Coming attractions: Here are the pitching matchups for this week’s series at Minnesota: Joel Pineiro vs. Carlos Silva on Tuesday, Freddy Garcia vs. Brad Radke on Wednesday and Ryan Franklin vs. Johan Santana on Thursday.
Kirby Arnold, Herald Writer
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