Mariners’ Sampson has mixed results in debut

Published 5:45 pm Saturday, June 18, 2016

BOSTON — That right-hander Adrian Sampson got the call Saturday when the Seattle Mariners needed a replacement for injured Wade Miley speaks to his development this season at Triple-A Tacoma.

Sampson, 24, was fourth in line when the season began as the Mariners set Tacoma’s rotation to ensure either James Paxton, Joe Wieland and Donn Roach would always be rested and available for an emergency call-up.

The first summons, when a calf injury sidelined Felix Hernandez, went to Paxton, but the Mariners turned to Sampson when they determined Miley’s sore shoulder required time on the disabled list.

“He was probably the most consistent starter we’ve had down there,” manager Scott Servais said. The reports (say) his fastball command has been very good. His pitchability is good. He can move the ball around the strike zone.”

Sampson made his major-league debut Saturday in a 6-2 loss to Boston at Fenway Park — and results were mixed. He opened with three scoreless innings but got tagged for four runs before exiting with two outs in the fifth inning.

“I look forward to his next one,” Servais said. “I think he’ll be much more under control. There were probably more pitches up today than you normally see out of him. He works at the bottom of the strike zone and elevates late.”

Sampson admitted he had butterflies prior to the game.

“For sure,” he said. “Just walking around in the outfield warming up, it was very special. I had a lot of family and friends here. I saw them early. But as soon as I was in the bullpen getting ready to warm up, I just locked in.”

Sampson went 7-4 with a 3.25 ERA at Tacoma with nine quality starts in 13 outings for the Rainiers. Tellingly, he’s controlled the strike zone: Just 12 walks in 801/3 innings and never more than two in any game.

“He has climbed the depth chart, so to speak,” Servais said. “He put himself here. He earned it, a chance to come up here and contribute and help us out.

“Obviously, we’ve put an extreme emphasis on all of our minor-league players to control the zone, pitching or hitting, and it pays off.”

This figures to be no more than a two-start audition for Sampson because Miley is expected to rejoin the rotation June 28 when eligible to be activated from the disabled list.

Current rotation plans put Sampson in line for a June 23 start at Detroit. He, too, expects to be more relaxed

“Just the routine of being here for five days (will help),” he said. “Getting all of my stuff done and getting used to the travel, it will be a lot easier. Getting on the same page with the catchers (will also help).”

Sampson is a Redmond native who graduated from Skyline High School in Sammamish and Bellevue College before getting drafted by Pittsburgh in the fifth round of the 2012 draft.

The Mariners acquired him last season just prior to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline in a trade for veteran left-hander J.A. Happ. Sampson is the 36th player born or raised in Washington to play for the Mariners.

Sampson’s numbers in the Pirates’ system didn’t dazzle — he was 24-23 with a 4.39 ERA in 85 games over three-plus years — but the Mariners saw upside potential.

“A big hard sinker,” then-general manager Jack Zduriencik said, “and really solid makeup kid. Really good intangibles.”

And now a shot in the big leagues.