DETROIT — If all goes according to plan, Adrian Sampson’s next start will come at Triple-A Tacoma. The best-case scenario is that it will be next week. If not, then when he comes off the disabled list.
Sampson exited his start Thursday in Detroit before he actually delivered a pitch. He experienced discomfort in his elbow while warming up in the first inning. Vidal Nuno replaced Sampson as the starting pitcher.
“I felt pretty good in the bullpen,” Sampson said. “I threw about 35 pitches. Toward the end of it, I felt a little tired. I thought it was just normal fatigue from throwing 35 pitches in a row.
“When I warmed up again, I felt a little elbow discomfort in the right side. There was no pop or anything. There was just a little discomfort. I felt it was best to just come out of the game.”
It’s too early to say whether Sampson will require time on the disabled list, but the Mariners expect Wade Miley and Taijuan Walker to rejoin the rotation next week during the upcoming homestand.
That figures to squeeze Sampson, injured or not, out of the rotation.
“We’re trying to line it up,” manager Scott Servais said prior to Thursday’s 5-4 loss to the Tigers in 10 innings. “We’ll probably know (Friday) what we’re looking at.”
Translation: Servais, pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. and others want to get a first-hand look at Miley and Walker prior to Friday’s game at Safeco Field before firming up a plan.
Walker and Miley each returned to Seattle this week for evaluation and treatment while the Mariners wobbled through their four-game series against Detroit.
Miley is recovering from a sore shoulder — an impingement — but is eligible to return Tuesday from the disabled list. Walker is battling tendinitis in his right foot, which forced an early exit in his two most recent starts.
The Mariners are also skipping Walker in his regular turn Friday in their series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals. Servais said Miley “will be ready,” but he wants a closer look at Walker.
The tentative plan is to activate Miley from the disabled list in order to start Wednesday against Pittsburgh. If Walker is green-lighted, he’ll start Thursday against Baltimore.
Sampson was 7-4 with a 3.25 ERA in 13 starts at Tacoma prior to his June 18 promotion to replace Miley in the rotation. He gave up four runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings last Saturday in 6-2 loss at Boston.
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