By Bob Dutton
The News Tribune
DETROIT — It’s a sign of Guillermo Heredia’s growing status that he drew a start Thursday against Detroit right-hander Justin Verlander when the Mariners closed out their three-game series at Comerica Park.
It was Heredia’s sixth straight start in left field, and came after he had two hits in each of his two previous games.
“Getting regular at-bats makes me feel more comfortable,” he said, “and my confidence is at a higher level. I’m going to keep playing hard and see where it takes me.”
Heredia, 26, is 8-for-25 in those six starts, which continues an unexpected surge at the plate that he first flashed this spring in winning a roster spot. His overall average is up to .308.
“As I’ve said from the beginning of spring training,” manager Scott Servais said, “he’s shortened up his swing. He’s been a really nice fit for us. He’s getting an opportunity to play, and he’s taking it and running with it.”
A series of factors created the opportunity for Heredia.
First, center fielder Leonys Martin stumbled so badly over the first few weeks that he was designated for assignment. Then, right fielder Mitch Haniger suffered a strained oblique muscle that forced him to the disabled list.
Even so, Servais had lineup alternatives against Verlander but opted for Heredia in left field and versatile Taylor Motter, also a right-handed hitter, at first base while keeping Dan Vogelbach and Danny Valencia on the bench.
Servais offered a simple reason for starting Heredia: “He’s swinging the bat very well.”
Martin to Tacoma
Center fielder Leonys Martin is staying in the organization after clearing waivers and heading to Triple-A Tacoma on an outright assignment.
The Mariners designated Martin, 29, for assignment on April 23 in a series of roster moves. He was batting .111 at the time (6-for-54) through 15 games with a .172 on-base percentage.
It seems likely that other clubs passed on the opportunity to claim Martin, at least in part, because of his $4.85 million salary. Any club claiming him would be on the hook for the balance — about $4.4 million.
Martin will continue to receive that salary while playing at Tacoma. He batted .247 last season with 15 homers and 47 RBIs in 143 games after being acquired from Texas in a Nov. 16, 2015 trade.
Seager in lineup
Third baseman Kyle Seager went 2-for-4 in returning to the starting lineup for the first time since April 21. He made just one pinch-hitting appearance, with two innings of defense, over the previous four games because of a sore right hip.
Seager’s return enabled Motter to shift to first base, which meant Servais opted to keep Vogelbach, a left-handed hitter, on the bench against Verlander.
Rare turnaround
By winning 8-0 on Wednesday, the Mariners achieved a rarity: It was only the third time in the last 40 years that a team posted a shutout victory after giving up at least 19 runs in the previous game — as the Mariners did in Tuesday’s 19-9 loss.
The most recent occurrence was also at Comerica Park. On Sept. 9, 2004, Kansas City beat Detroit 26-5 in the first game of a doubleheader before the Tigers won 8-0 in the nightcap.
At least one fortunate soul witnessed both sets of turnarounds.
Looking ahead
Three things to note heading into Friday’s pitching matchup between left-hander Ariel Miranda and Cleveland right-hander Carlos Carrasco:
*Miranda has never faced the Indians. Carrasco is 2-1 with a 2.79 ERA in four career games against the Mariners.
*No current Indians have ever faced Miranda.
*Robinson Cano is 6-for-14 in his career against Carrasco with two doubles and a homer. Kyle Seager is 2-for-6 with a homer, but Jarrod Dyson is 3-for-16 with five strikeouts, and Danny Valencia is hitless in eight at-bats.
Minor details
Reliever Steve Cishek could be nearing a return from the disabled list.
Cishek was scheduled to pitch again Thursday for after working a one-two-three inning Wednesday in a rehab appearance for Double-A Arkansas in a 6-5 loss at Tulsa (Dodgers) in 10 innings.
Back-to-back appearances typically are the final step for relievers on a rehab assignment.
Cishek threw seven of 11 pitches for strikes Wednesday and recorded one strikeout. It was his fourth rehab outing and easily his best. He is recovering from October surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left hip.
*Right-hander Rob Whalen was activated from the disabled list and optioned to Triple-A Tacoma. He was sidelined in spring training by shoulder inflammation.
Looking back
It was 16 years ago Friday — April 28, 2001 — that the Mariners set two major-league records in an 8-5 victory at Chicago.
Kazuhiro Sasaki pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his 13th save, a record for April. By winning, the Mariners improved to 20-4, which set a record for victories in April.
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