Mariners make more roster moves, continue the Tacoma Lambada

If you were watching last night’s game, you know that the 2017 Mariners’ pitching staff took another few hits. I think Tee said it best:

Tee Miller

Also the approximately 496506402572 people in the LL account mentions declaring that pitching for the Mariners is a pre-existing condition.

So Jean Machi is day-to-day with what’s being described as a “nerve issue” in his thumb, but he remains with the club. The news for Evan Marshall, transferred to the 10-day DL, is more grim, as he appeared on crutches post-game. His injury is described as a “serious hamstring strain.” Evan Marshall has already been through quite enough in his baseball career, thank you, and we wish him the speediest recovery/lots of love from Butters as he rehabs.

In other moves, RHP and Witch Weekly’s Five-Time Most Charming Smile Award Winner Dan Altavilla has been recalled from Tacoma. After a rocky start, Altavilla has shown improved slider command in his recent AAA outings. Ideally, he could probably use more time there to make sure he’s fully regained control of his mechanics, but a short-handed bullpen means the 24-year-old is going to have to step up immediately.

Altavilla will be replacing former AA-Jackson teammate Emilio Pagan, who is on his way back to Tacoma after getting what could be called the Full De Jong. Pagan’s fastball looked really good last night, touching 95 with movement, but he drew a couple of really tough asks in protecting a close lead/tie in late innings. The most encouraging thing about Pagan’s innings is that despite struggling with command at times (5.73 BB/9 in Tacoma this year, 4.72 last year), that didn’t seem to plague him in the majors, as he worked right around the plate, challenging hitters. He’ll be back with the Mariners soon enough, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him use this experience as fuel to be even more of a world-beater in Tacoma.

Rob Whalen also gets the call from Tacoma. Whalen has only appeared in one game with the Rainiers after returning from injury, in which he went 4.2 innings and allowed six hits but also recorded four Ks. Again, ideally he’d have the opportunity to make a few more starts before coming up to pitch at the big-league level, but nothing about this season is ideal, now is it. Whalen coming up becomes even more important when you consider this news from Dutton:

Wheeeeee. So we will probably still see Christian Bergman up from Tacoma at some point, with Dillon Overton the likely candidate to make the start in place of Paxton on Sunday. Take a second to let this sink in: in an alternate universe somewhere, the Mariners have had Felix, Paxton, Kuma, Smyly, and Gallardo start. Instead, this week we’re going to see Miranda, Gallardo, Chase De Jong, Dillon Overton, and maybe Christian Bergman? Get all the way bent, 2017.