2:44pm: Hernandez is expected to be sidelined for two or three weeks at a minimum, per MLB.com’s Jon Morosi (via Twitter).
2:13pm: Both righty Felix Hernandez and outfielder Mitch Haniger are going on the 10-day DL after suffering injuries last night, as the team announced and Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reported on Twitter.
Seattle made a variety of other roster moves, too. Righties Chase De Jong and Casey Fien, lefty Dillon Overton, and outfielder Ben Gamel are all headed onto the MLB roster. Meanwhile, righties Chris Heston and Evan Marshall have each been optioned back to Triple-A.
[RELATED: Updated Mariners Depth Chart]
In Hernandez’s case, he has been diagnosed with shoulder inflammation, as Dutton tweets. But it’s still not entirely clear whether that’s just an isolated issue or if there’s an underlying injury of greater concern causing the problem. The 31-year-old has been knocked around in his first five starts, allowing 14 earned runs on 39 hits.
As for Haniger, he has been a revelation. But an oblique issue will sideline him after 95 plate appearances of .338/.442/.600 hitting. It’s still not known how severe Haniger’s injury is or what kind of timeline he’ll be facing.
Needless to say, these DL placements constitute significant losses for a struggling Seattle club, though perhaps the hope remains that neither player will be out for an extended stretch. The M’s are already staring at a 6.5 game deficit in the AL West.
24TheKid
Why doesn’t Felix just get the surgery to repair his partially torn UCL?
TheChanceyColborn
He doesn’t need it right now. He can pitch through it. Just like Chen and Wainwright.
24TheKid
Yeah but maybe it could help him get his velocity.
hodor 3
With his age and the sheer amount of pitches on that arm, those days are likely over and the time off due to surgery potentially makes it worse for him. He’s had enough medical analysis to make a decision on this.
mike156
If I’m not mistaken, Seattle has a one year $1M option at the back end of his contract if he loses 130 days on DL to arm/elbow. He might as well pitch now, assuming it hasn’t worsened.
yoyo137
That’s crazy I didn’t even know he had a torn UCL.
monroe_says
Source please on this?
24TheKid
He’s had one for a few years now, look up Felix Hernandez partially torn UCL. I don’t need to do it for you. That’s why he has the weird contract.
monroe_says
Interesting. There’s still nothing there.
24TheKid
Then learn how to use the internet.
monroe_says
Or you could quit making up nonsense
chesteraarthur
Ouch. Shoulder’s are a dicey thing. I will not be surprised at all if this ends up being more than 10-day and/or a reoccurring thing this season.
Jonesyy
This is a big year for the M’s with some aging guys like Cano/Cruz and not great minor league depth so hope these aren’t long DL stints.
terry g
I’m interested in seeing who the M’s plan to use to replace Hernandez in the rotation.