SEATTLE — Struggling right-hander Nathan Karns is the odd-man out in the Mariners’ rotation.
Karns is heading to the bullpen to accommodate Taijuan Walker’s return to the rotation because the Mariners opted to reward newcomer Wade LeBlanc with another start.
LeBlanc pitched six scoreless innings last Friday in his first start after being acquired from Toronto for cash or a player to be named later. He was 7-2 with a 1.71 ERA in 14 starts at Triple-A Buffalo prior to the trade.
“It’s not an easy decision to make,” manager Scott Servais said prior to Tuesday’s series opener against Pittsburgh at Safeco Field.
“(Karns) was probably one of our more consistent starters for about a six- or seven-game stretch. He was throwing the ball well. It hasn’t been there the last four or five times out.
“LeBlanc threw the ball well the other night, so we’ll give Nate a little bit of a breather.”
Karns, 28, is 6-2 with a 4.56 ERA in 15 starts, but he hasn’t pitched past the fifth inning in any of his last five starts. He also allowed 19 runs on 26 hits and 17 walks over 231⁄3 innings in those five games.
Servais indicated Karns is likely to start his bullpen duty by pitching long relief.
“It will probably be similar to what we did with Michael Montgomery earlier in the year,” Servais said. “He can certainly take multiple innings.
“It’s a little different mentality coming out of the bullpen. You just trust your stuff and got right after them. You never know. The stuff might tick up. It did with Montgomery.”
Putting Karns in a long-relief role suggests right-hander Donn Roach could be heading back to Triple-A Tacoma to clear space Wednesday when the Mariners activate Wade Miley from the disabled list.
Miley is scheduled to start Wednesday against the Pirates, and Servais said Walker, after skipping a turn, will return Thursday to the rotation for the start to a four-game series against Baltimore.
Walker threw a 40-pitch bullpen workout Sunday to test his recovery from tendinitis in his right foot. Two days later, he reported no problems. Walker’s injury forced him to make an early departure in each of his two previous starts.
“It’s the best he’s felt,” Servais said. “He threw a bullpen the other day, and he’s ready to go.”
LeBlanc, 31, replaced Walker in the rotation just three days after being acquired in a June 21 trade. The initial plan called for LeBlanc to shift to long relief when Walker returned to the rotation.
That changed when LeBlanc pitched six scoreless innings against the Cardinals and, one night later, Karns nearly squandered a five-run lead before exiting after five innings.
“LeBlanc threw the ball well the other night,” Servais said, “so we’ll give Nate a little bit of a breather. It’s about the team right now. What’s best for the team. I really think (Karns) could grab onto a significant role down there.”
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