Mariners option Braden Bishop & Dan Altavilla to AAA-Tacoma, 25-man roster functionally confirmed

In preparation for their home opener this Thursday, the Mariners have optioned two of their Japan Series players to give us all but confirmation of the 25-man roster they’ll open the stateside season with.

Braden Bishop will get everyday work in CF for the Rainiers. This says more about the health of Mallex Smith than it does about Bishop, who struck out in his first and only PA in the first two games of the season. As he’s yet to actually play in AAA, it’s a good fit for him, and he’ll join the most talented Tacoma team in several years. Dan Altavilla showed brilliant flashes this spring, but he continues to struggle with command and looked extremely wild in his outing against the A’s last week. Additionally, as one of the few relievers on the 40-man with minor league options, he was a likely bet to be sent down.

With this move the Mariners 25-man roster that we’ll see Thursday against the Red Sox should look like this:

C: Omar Narváez
1B: Edwin Encarnacíon
2B: Dee Gordon
3B: Ryon Healy
SS: Tim Beckham
LF: Domingo Santana
CF: Mallex Smith
RF: Mitch Haniger

Bench: 1B/DH Dan Vogelbach, 1B/LF/RF Jay Bruce, C David Freitas, UTIL Dylan Moore

SP: Marco Gonzales (L), Yusei Kikuchi (L), Mike Leake, Wade LeBlanc (L), Félix Hernández
RP: Chasen Bradford, Brandon Brennan, Matt Festa, Cory Gearrin, Nick Rumbelow, Hunter Strickland, Zac Rosscup (L), Roenis Elías (L)

10-Day IL: 3B Kyle Seager, RP Shawn Armstrong, RP Gerson Bautista, RP Anthony Swarzak, RP Sam Tuivailala