Elbow injury puts Mariners’ Smyly on DL 6 weeks

The Mariners announced Friday that LHP Drew Smyly, slated to be the fourth starter in the rotation, will start the 2017 season on the disabled list with a flexor bundle strain in his pitching elbow. General manager Jerry Dipoto said the club is confident that Smyly will not require surgery.

“We don’t think this is going to result in a surgical intervention, more rest and rehab,” Dipoto told reporters in Peoria, AZ. “This will probably be a six-to-eight-week stretch that we are going to be without Drew.”

That means Smyly, 27, will not be able to contribute a until perhaps June. Smyly in 2016 had a career high in starts (30) and innings pitched (175.1) for Tampa, where he was 7-12 with a 4.88 ERA. He came to Seattle in an off-season trade from the Rays, who received three minor leaguers, Carlos Vargas, Ryan Yarbrough and Mallex Smith, from the Mariners.

In the meantime, Ariel Miranda will take Smyly’s place in the rotation. He has not looked good this spring. In 14.2 innings over six games, he had a 6.14 ERA with 16 hits, eight walks and 10 strikeouts, and was assigned to AAA Tacoma last week. Miranda started 10 games for Seattle last season, going 5-2 with a 3.54 ERA.