By Bob Dutton
The News Tribune
SEATTLE — The Mariners didn’t stop Tuesday at simply making the necessary moves to add lefty Andrew Albers to their 25-man and 40-man roster.
They also recalled right-hander Sam Gaviglio while optioning right-handers Thyago Vieira and Casey Lawrence to Triple-A Tacoma. Veteran right-hander Christian Bergman was designated for assignment.
Gaviglio will, at least initially, serve as the bullpen’s long reliever — a duty that Lawrence and Bergman filled in recent days.
“Casey Lawrence did a really nice job again for us (Monday) night,” manager Scott Servais said. “We optioned him, and brought Sam Gaviglio back to serve in the bullpen as our length guy. He gives us length. He’s fresh and ready to go.
“We’ve seen what he can do when he’s on.”
The Mariners previously designated Bergman for assignment and, when he cleared waivers, kept him in the organization by sending him to the Rainiers on an outright assignment.
The same thing could happen again.
“The back end of our 40-man roster has been very fluid,” Servais said. “It’s had to be. I really don’t know the interest level that other teams may have, but I do not want to lose him. I don’t think anybody here does.
“If he does get picked up by somebody else, obviously that’s good for him.”
Bergman, 29, was optioned Monday to Tacoma after pitching four innings Sunday in a 4-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. He was 4-4 with a 4.91 ERA this season in 11 big-league games, including eight starts.
The Mariners signaled their intention Monday to select Albers, 31, from Tacoma by confirming plans for him to start Tuesday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles at Safeco Field.
Albers will be the 16th different pitcher this season to start a game for the Mariners. The franchise record is 17 in 1977.
The Mariners acquired Albers on Aug. 11 from Atlanta in a cash transaction. He was assigned to Tacoma but did not pitch for the Rainiers after going 12-3 with a 2.61 ERA in 26 games, including 17 starts, at Triple-A Gwinnett.
Vieira, 24, made his major-league debut Monday by pitching a scoreless ninth inning in an 11-3 loss to the Orioles. He loomed as a likely option candidate in order for the Mariners to add Albers to their 25-man active roster.
“Coming in (Monday),” Servais said, “we knew it was only going to be for a short time (for Vieira). We had roster moves coming up to create room for a starter. I thought he handled himself very well.”
Lawrence, 29, threw 74 pitches Monday in four innings, which also positioned him as a likely option candidate in order to add a fresh arm to the bullpen.
Gaviglio, 27, has not pitched since Aug. 9. He was 3-5 with a 4.52 ERA earlier this season in 12 big-league games, including 11 starts.
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