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    Home » Felix will start opener; Mariners add LeBlanc
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    Felix will start opener; Mariners add LeBlanc

    Art ThielBy Art ThielMarch 25, 2018Updated:March 26, 20185 Comments3 Mins Read
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    Wade LeBlanc is back with the Mariners. / Alan Chitlik, Sportspress Northwest

    The Mariners made a late add to their pitching staff over the weekend, adding veteran free agent lefty Wade LeBlanc, who in 2016 went 3-0 with a 4.50 ERA in eight starts and three relief appearances for Seattle. And after a 63-pitch outing Saturday night in which he allowed a single run, Felix Hernandez won his bid to be the Opening Night starter at 7:10 Thursday at Safeco Field.

    Also, 1B Dan Vogelbach, whose spring training numbers looked like what GM Jerry Dipoto had in mind when he gave up a good pitcher in 2016, Mike Montgomery, to the Cubs for the square-bodied slugger, was told Sunday he had made the 25-man roster.

    Hernandez wasn’t great, but in his first start since he was struck Feb. 26 on his right forearm with a line drive, the only run came on a wind-blown homer on the game’s first pitch. He gave up three other hits, had three strikeouts and  a walk. Afterward, he pronounced himself ready.

    “I’m happy with the work, happy with my arm,” he told reporters after the 7-3 win evened Seattle’s spring record at 14-14-2.  “So everything is fine.”

    Hernandez’s 10th consecutive opening start ties him for fourth all-time with Roy Halladay, Walter Johnson and Steve Carlton. Jack Morris leads with 14 consecutive (1980-93).

    Until Saturday, Hernandez pitched only 1.2 innings before the injury, so he’d likely be on a strict pitch count. Manager Scott Servais will go early and often to his bullpen, where he’ll have LeBlanc, 33, in long relief.

    The acquisition was a partial response to the loss of reliever David Phelps, done for the season after an elbow ligament tear that will require Tommy John surgery.

    LeBlanc, invited to the Yankees camp on a minor league contract, was cut Friday after seven games, in which he pitched 13.2 innings and had a 5.27 ERA. In 2017, he was a reliever for the Pittsburgh Pirates, making 50 appearances with a 5-2 record and 4.50 ERA.

    Entering Sunday’s game against San Diego, Vogelbach was hitting .388 with a .505 on-base percentage, including five homers and 12 RBIs. He will share first base duties with Ryon Healy, who likely will get the start Thursday despite getting only 12 at-bats through Saturday because of injury.

    Mariners likely opening night lineup, pending LF Ichiro’s health report.

    Noteworthy

    After Hernandez, the Mariners’ starting rotation will be James Paxton, Mike Leake and Marco Gonzales. Because of off-days, the Mariners likely won’t need a fifth starter until mid-April. The likeliest candidate, Erasmo Ramirez, who missed most of spring training with a strained oblique muscle. He returned to throwing over the weekend. If he’s not ready, the Mariners could go to LeBlanc. Either Rob Whalen and Ariel Miranda, both of whom had good springs, could be called up from AAA Tacoma   . . .  Ichiro, brought back to Seattle after early spring injuries in the Mariners outfield, had been held out of the lineup for three days prior to Sunday after being struck on the back of the batting helmet by a pitch. He passed concussion protocols, according to Servais. A previous calf injury has limited him to seven at-bats, none of which included a hit . . . The sellout of 12,601 Saturday boosted the club’s concluded 16-game spring attendance to 118,851, an average of 7,428. The club record total of 145, 146 was set in 2002.

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    5 Comments

    1. 1coolguy on March 25, 2018 2:48 pm

      Another yawner of a season to come. Geez – you would think that after 15+ years of doing the same old, same old, the M’s, id even by luck, would be a better team.
      Only if the owners sell to a real baseball group will anything good happen.

      • art thiel on March 26, 2018 7:45 am

        John Stanton leads a real baseball group. Ownership in this case has little to do with injuries and age.

    2. Alan Harrison on March 25, 2018 6:25 pm

      I don’t know if it’s management any more. I do think that, at least with the Mariners and Seahawks, Seattle teams tend to squeeze their players like sentimental sponges more than other places and not make the deals a year before rather than 2 years too late. I am not an expert, but I see this as a 75-85 win team, depending on breaks, injuries, and injuries on key other teams. If they all do better than their baseball card, it’s 85 and maybe a playoff spot. If not…

    3. Lee Cousins on March 26, 2018 8:06 am

      I’m a little more optimistic about this season although I do feel will be needing to add on some pieces since the depth may come into play here.

      • Husky73 on March 27, 2018 11:37 pm

        The Mariners have been a cavalcade of if’s since 1977. This season looks no different. Yet, I remain a Mariner optimist…..if Felix’s arm doesn’t fly off into the backstop….if Ichiro can turn back time….if Cano will actually run out a ground ball this season….if the Big Maple can actually pitch a full season….and if Mike Blowers can find an iota of inflection in his monotone.

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