By TJ Cotterill
The News Tribune
No, the Mariners’ 25-man roster still isn’t quite set, even with today’s opening day at Safeco Field against the Indians fast approaching.
They made one more Tuesday, re-assigning outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis to minor-league camp, meaning they’re left to decide the final outfield and utility spots — choosing between Ichiro Suzuki and Taylor Motter.
It will all depend on Ichiro’s health, which Mariners manager Scott Servais said they will re-examine during his workouts on Wednesday as he recovers from a sore calf that limited him to an 0-for-10 experience at the plate during five Cactus League games.
If Ichiro’s ready, he’ll play on Opening Day and Motter will start the season with Triple-A Tacoma. If not, then Ichiro would likely head to the disabled list while Motter starts the season in Seattle.
The deadline to have the roster completed it 9 a.m. today, with the Mariners playing the Indians at 7:10 p.m.
It’s not official, but here’s how that would look:
Their starting pitching rotation would go Felix Hernandez, James Paxton, Mike Leake and Marco Gonzales until they needed to add a fifth starter on April 11 (they open the season with three off days in the first eight days of the season.
The Mariners bullpen seems set with Edwin Diaz as the closer, Juan Nicasio and Nick Vincent in setup roles followed by Dan Altavilla, Casey Lawrence and left-handers Marc Rzepczynski, James Pazos and Wade LeBlanc.
The rest of the outfield would include Dee Gordon, Mitch Haniger and Guillermo Heredia until the Mariners figure out what to do with either Ichiro or using a combination of Taylor Motter and/or Andrew Romine in the outfield. Servais seemed to suggest Romine is their regular utility player to backup an infield of Kyle Seager, Jean Segura, Robinson Cano, Ryon Healy with Daniel Vogelbach earning his way into a sort-of platoon role, at least until April 11, with Healy. And he could even spell designated hitter Nelson Cruz, who has been dealing with a quad injury.
The catchers would be Mike Zunino and Mike Marjama.
FINAL IMPRESSIONS
Impressions have to start with first baseman Daniel Vogelbach.
Call spring training stats what you will, but he by all measures raked over the past month and that’s why he went from roster longshot to earning a spot, at least temporarily, on the Mariners’ Opening Day 25-man roster.
He ended his spring with a .407 batting average in 22 games. Yes, .407 — that was the best among all qualified spring training hitters from all teams.
Vogelbach ended his spring going 2-for-4 with a home run — his seventh of the spring — against the Rockies on Tuesday.
But there were certainly others who pleaded their cases for 2018 playing time. Gonzaga University graduate and left-hander Marco Gonzales had the best stats among the Mariners’ starting pitchers this spring, going 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA in seven starts and 26 innings, allowing six runs and striking out 21.
But there was plenty of not-good this spring — none bigger than the Mariners losing setup reliever David Phelps to a season-ending torn ulnar collateral ligament. Then there’s Gamel straining his oblique and Erasmo Ramirez might not be ready until May as he recovers from a lat strain.
The Mariners ended spring with a record of 16-14-2.
ON TAP
The Mariners open the 2018 season with Felix Hernandez making an Opening Day start for the 10th consecutive season — which only six other pitchers in MLB history have done before. He is 6-2 with a 1.64 ERA with 74 strikeouts on Opening Day.
The Indians will star Corey Kluber, who won 18 games last season and his second Cy Young award in the past four years.
