By Lauren Smith
The News Tribune
The Seattle Mariners made several more roster moves Tuesday morning, including placing infielders Dee Gordon and Ryon Healy to the 10-day injured list, reactivating rookie utility player Dylan Moore from the IL, recalling left-hander Tommy Milone and infielder Shed Long from Triple-A Tacoma, and optioning right-hander Parker Markel to the Rainiers.
Gordon moves to the IL with a right wrist contusion. The Mariners’ regular second baseman was hit in the wrist by a pitch during Seattle’s New York series nearly two weeks ago, and missed three games following the injury on May 9, but was not originally placed on the IL.
He has hit 3-for-22 (.136) in the seven games he’s appeared in since, with two runs scored and a pair of stolen bases.
Gordon is batting .281 with three doubles, one triple, three homers and 19 RBIs in 45 games with the Mariners this season, and his 12 stolen bases are tied for third-most in the majors.
Healy, who has played the majority of the season at third base in place of injured veteran Kyle Seager (hand), left Monday night’s game against the Rangers in the sixth inning with lower back inflammation.
His 16 doubles this season are tied for second in the American League. He is hitting .237 with seven homers and 26 RBIs, but has also struck out 40 times.
In corresponding moves, the Mariners reactivated Moore from the 10-day IL, and again promoted Long from Triple-A Tacoma.
Moore was placed on the IL on May 10 with a right wrist contusion, after also being hit by a pitch in an earlier game in New York. He went 3-for-13 (.231) in three rehab games with the Rainiers, and collected four RBIs.
In 28 games with the Mariners this season, Moore has hit .229 with three doubles, two homers and five RBIs, and has appeared at five different defensive positions.
Long was called up earlier this month to help fill in for Gordon and Moore, and made his MLB debut in Boston, but went a hitless 0-for-9 with two walks in three games with the Mariners. After returning to Triple-A Tacoma, he went 9-for-24 (.375) with six runs scored, one double, one homer, two walks and five RBIs in five games.
As expected, the Mariners also recalled Milone, who is scheduled to pitch Tuesday night’s game against Texas, from Tacoma. The 32-year-old lefty will start in place of rookie right-hander Erik Swanson, who was optioned to Tacoma last week.
Swanson (1-5, 8.04 ERA) served up a career-high four home runs to the Twins in his shortest start of the season during his most recent outing with Seattle, and allowed five or more runs in four of his six starts — including a combined 15 earned runs in his last two before being sent to Triple-A.
Felix Hernandez, the regular fifth pitcher in Seattle’s rotation, remains on the IL with a lat strain, and is expected to miss four to six weeks.
Milone is 4-2 with a 3.83 ERA in nine games (eight starts) with the Rainiers this season, and has struck out 43 while walking 12. He last pitched in the majors on Aug. 19, appearing in relief with the Washington Nationals.
Markel was optioned after compiling a 14.73 ERA across four relief appearances with the Mariners in the past two weeks, allowing six earned runs in 3 2/3 innings. He made his MLB debut during Seattle’s series in Boston.
The Mariners could have more moves in the works with reliever Anthony Bass reportedly expected to sign with the club, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. With the 40-man roster currently full, Seattle would have to designate a player for assignment to make room.
