Inside The Mariners

Seattle Mariners Make First of Multiple Possible Pitching Moves

The Seattle Mariners reinforced their bullpen with seven games left in the season and in the thick of the postseason race on Sunday.

Teren Kowatsch

Seattle Mariners reliever Gabe Speier throws during a game against the Boston Red Sox on July 29 at Fenway Park.
Seattle Mariners reliever Gabe Speier throws during a game against the Boston Red Sox on July 29 at Fenway Park. / Eric Canha-Imagn Images
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The Seattle Mariners entered Sunday with seven games left in the season, 5.0 games behind the Houston Astros for first place in the American League West and 1.5 games behind the Minnesota Twins (1.0 game behind the Detroit Tigers) for the final AL Wild Card spot.

Despite an almost-historic collapse from the Mariners (10 games ahead in the division in June to out of the playoffs), they're still in the thick of the postseason race.

And Seattle made a move to reinforce its bullpen with one week left in the season.

The Seattle Times' Adam Jude tweeted out a report at 9:27 a.m. PT that left-handed reliever Gabe Speier was in the Mariners clubhouse before Game 3 of a series against the Texas Rangers on Sunday. Jude originally reported that Speier was on the taxi squad but could be recalled based on the bullpen's situation.

Speier wasn't on the taxi squad for long. At 10:03 a.m. PT, the Mariners recalled Speier from Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers and optioned fill-in starter Emerson Hancock (who had five-inning outing on Saturday) to Tacoma in a corresponding move.

According to additional reports from Jude, Speier being brought back up could be just the first in a series of pitching-related roster moves in the coming days for Seattle.

Jude also reported at 9:34 a.m. PT on Sunday that reliever Gregory Santos could be activated off the 15-day injured list in the next "day or two" and has been feeling well in his string of rehab appearances for the Rainiers.

Santos has been on the IL since since Aug. 2 (retroactive to Aug. 1) with right biceps inflammation.

Hancock being optioned down could also indicate that the Mariners are getting ready to activate starting pitcher Luis Castillo off the injured list, as well.

Castillo was placed on the 15-day injured list on Sept. 10 (retroactive to Sept. 9) with a Grade 2 hamstring strain. Hancock was recalled to take Castillo's place in the rotation.

Castillo would be eligible to return off the IL for Game 2 of a three-game series against the Houston Astros on Tuesday (Sept. 24).

Seattle had just a 9.9% chance of making the playoffs following their 8-4 win against Texas on Saturday, per FanGraphs (9.2% before its game Sunday).

It looks like it will be all hands on deck as the Mariners look to keep their season going into October.

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Teren Kowatsch

TEREN KOWATSCH

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