3/25/14: Mariners open game thread

Happy Felix Day! I think Felix is actually supposed to go pretty deep today, it being his last start before Opening Day and wanting to get a full workload in.

In other pitching news from Divish, Taijuan Walker threw 48 pitches today in a minor league game and the important thing is that he threw and seemed fine and will throw again Sunday. Maurer and Pryor also threw successfully, meaning, without dying or being released.

In other pitching news, Randy Wolf asked for his release today, after making the team, and probably the rotation, and there is a bit of a kerfluffle...about negotiating in bad faith and asking him to sign a statement saying they can cut him in 45 days when Walker or Iwakuma come back, or something. It looks kind of bad. But he's gone. And so is Baker. There is no one really left to oppose Blake Beavan starting the season off in the rotation. I have a doubt. Not full blown doubts, yet. At least they aren't in the Rangers position. Yet.

Game info

• Mariners @ Royals, 6:05 PST
• Radio: MLB.com (Live), 710 ESPN (Live)
• Television: MLB Network (Delay)
• No Cano, with Nick Franklin filling in for him at 2b. No Saunders, with Stefen Romero filling in in RF.

Lineups

B. Chen - L vs. F. Hernandez - R

Mariners

1. Abraham Almonte (S) CF
2. Brad Miller (L) SS
3. Stefen Romero (R) RF
4. Justin Smoak (S) 1B
5. Logan Morrison (L) DH
6. Kyle Seager (L) 3B
7. Nick Franklin (S) 2B
8. Dustin Ackley (L) LF
9. Mike Zunino (R) C

Royals

1. Nori Aoki (L) RF
2. Alcides Escobar (R) SS
3. Eric Hosmer (L) 1B
4. Billy Butler (R) DH
5. Alex Gordon (L) LF
6. Salvador Perez (R) C
7. Mike Moustakas (L) 3B
8. Lorenzo Cain (R) CF
9. Pedro Ciriaco (R) 2B