Lining up (and sitting down) the starters

Published 8:50 pm Tuesday, August 26, 2008

The Mariners’ pitching plans are getting clearer as they get closer to bringing Carlos Silva off the disabled list and Brandon Morrow up from Class AAA Tacoma.

Silva, out since Aug. 16 because of tendinitis in his right arm, will start Sunday at Cleveland. Morrow, who is starting tonight for Tacoma as he converts from reliever, will start one of the three games against the Yankees during the next homestand.

When those two come back, two starters will have to leave the rotation, and manager Jim Riggleman revealed one of those today. Miguel Batista, who pitched six strong innings Monday night, will return to the bullpen.

Riggleman didn’t say who’d join the relievers when Morrow arrives, but the best guess is Ryan Feierabend, the left-hander called up from Tacoma when Silva was hurt.