Harang back on the mound

Aaron Harang will toe the rubber tonight for the first time since May 7, after he missed his last start with back stiffness. Harang had strung together consecutive quality starts for the first time in 2013 in his two previous starts. Hector Noesi made the start for him in New York last Thursday and helped the Mariners to a victory. It was the Mariners most recent win. Harang, 1-4 with a 7.30 ERA, is still seeking his first road win of 2013.

Smoak quietly surging

With so many other offensive weapons garnering attention for the Mariners this year, Justin Smoak has flown under the radar. His .252 batting average with three homers and eight RBI don’t jump off the page, but he’s been hot lately. He has a five-game hittting streak, has reached base in 14 consecutive contests and hit two home runs this weekend, both in late game situations. His on-base percentage is solid as well (.366) and he has a 2-t0-3 walks to strikeouts ratio, way up from his sub-1-to-2 ratio from 2012. The Mariners have to stick with Smoak as their future at first.

Quick facts

Here are some interesting numbers from the Mariners’ game notes press release today:

• Tom Wilhelmsen has not allowed a hit to a right-handed batter in 2013. Righties are 0-for-31 against the Bartender.
• Raul Ibanez has six home runs in the last eight games he’s played. Because, you know, he’s Raul.
• The Mariners rotation is tied for the American League lead in quality starts with 26, despite having just one this weekend (Brandon Maurer).
• Brendan Ryan has raised his batting average 66 points to .178 with a 9-for-25 clip on the current road trip. He hit his first home run on Saturday.
• The Mariners rank last in the league with a .213 batting average with runners in scoring position in 2013. They hit .190 with RISP on the road.

Brandon Maurer takes on Jerome Williams at 7:05 PT.

Harang has struggled mightily so far in 2013, posting a 1-4 record with a 7.30 ERA. However, his last two starts had been better, as he went 1-1 in two six inning, two run performances.

Hector Noesi makes his first start of 2013 for the Mariners. Noesi posted a 2-12 record with a 5.86 ERA in 22 games in 2012, which included 18 starts. In 2011 with New York, he posted a 2-2 record with a 4.47 ERA in 30 apperances (two starts). In 2013 out of the bullpen, Noesi has allowed four runs in nine innings of work.

Whether Noesi can get it on track as a starter remains to be seen, but the Mariners are undoutasbly behind the eight ball, as they oppose left-hander Andy Pettitte tonight in the Bronx. The game starts at 4:05 PT. Here is the Mariners lineup:

1. Saunders CF
2. Bay LF
3. Seager 3B
4. Morales 1B
5. Morse RF
6. Ibanez DH
7. Montero C
8. Ackley 2B
9. Ryan SS

The newest Mariner starter, Aaron Harang. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

UPDATE:

The Mariners will send right-handed reliever Steven Hensley to the Dodgers in exchange for Harang. Hensley made two appearances in Tacoma in 2013, surrendering one run. Last season, Hensley split time in between Jackson and Tacoma, posting a 4.84 ERA in 44 relief appearances.

The back end of the Mariners rotation has struggled mightily in 2013, and patience has apparently run out. According to Fox’s Ken Rosenthal, the Mariners are in the final stages of securing a deal for Rockies’ starter Aaron Harang.

Harang, who went 10-10 with a 3.61 ERA last season for the Dodgers, was traded to the Rockies Saturday in exchange for backup catcher Ramon Hernandez. Immediately, the Rockies designated Harang for assignment and began shopping him to prospective teams around the league.

According to Rosenthal’s twitter account, the teams need approval of the commissioner’s office, which typically is required when a trade involves an exchange of over $1 million. Harang presents an inexpensive option, since the Dodgers are already covering more than half of his $7 million 2013 salary.

Recent reports have also linked an unnamed right-handed reliever to go from the Mariners to the Rockies once the trade goes through.

Harang would likely replace either Brandon Maurer or Blake Beavan in the Mariners’ rotation. Maurer, who is 0-2 with an atrocious 16.20 ERA thus far in 2013, failed to get out of the first inning Tuesday. He surrendered six earned runs and seven hits while recording just two outs. Beavan has posted an 0-1 record with a 7.59 ERA in his first two starts. The Astros beat him around Wednesday night to the tune of five runs (four earned) and nine hits in 5.2 innings.