PEORIA, Ariz. — Another hammer dropped Saturday as the Seattle Mariners optioned left-handed pitcher Ariel Miranda to Triple-A Tacoma.
The move came two days after the club optioned first baseman Dan Vogelbach to the Rainiers. Vogelbach and Miranda were each projected to make the 25-man roster when the Mariners opened spring training.
Miranda, 28, pitched this spring as a starting pitcher but had loomed as likely fit in the bullpen as the second left-hander. An inconsistent spring apparently cost him a spot on the roster.
“It’s been hit or miss a little bit this spring with Miranda,” manager Scott Servais said. “There have been some very good innings. Some other ones have gotten away from him a little bit. Overall, how has he thrown this spring? I think just OK.
“I don’t think he’s lit it up at all. I don’t think he’s been just horrible. Just OK.”
The Mariners also reassigned catcher Sebastian Valle to minor-league camp prior to their game against Texas at Peoria Stadium. The moves leave 41 players in big-league camp, including eight non-roster players.
Miranda started well in spring training but gave up six runs and seven hits over 4 2/3 innings in his last two starts. He was 5-2 with a 3.54 ERA last season in 11 games, including 10 starts, after being acquired from Baltimore in a July 31 trade.
“Ariel did a terrific job for us down the stretch last season,” general manager Jerry Dipoto said, “and showed the ability to succeed as a major-league starter.
“At this time we are happy with our present starting five and think it’s best to keep him stretched out as a starter, which will happen in Tacoma.”
The decision to send Miranda to the minors creates a roster opportunity for three other left-handed relievers remaining in camp: James Pazos, Nick Hagadone and Dean Kiekhefer.
Of the three, only Pazos is currently on the 40-man roster, which means the Mariners must make a corresponding space-clearing move in order to keep Hagadone or Kiekhefer.
Pazos, 25, has six scoreless outings this spring in eight appearances, but one bad inning against Cleveland skews his numbers.
Hagadone, 31, signed Jan. 31 as a minor-league free agent after missing all of last season while recovering from elbow surgery. He has allowed one run and five hits in eight innings while striking out 10 and walking two.
The Mariners acquired Kiekhefer, 27, in a Nov. 4 waiver claim from St. Louis and retained him in December when he cleared waiver after being designated for assignment. He has allowed three runs in 8 1/3 spring innings.
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