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Mariners Game Notes: Iwakuma Update, Roenis Elias in Seattle

By Brian Helberg

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The Seattle Mariners (7-9) will host the Minnesota Twins (6-10) on Saturday evening at Safeco Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6:10 pm from the corner of Edgar and Dave. James Paxton (0-1, 8.40 ERA) will hope to put a terrible outing behind him when he toes the rubber for the M’s tonight. Youngster Trevor May (1-1, 4.76 ERA) will be on the hill for Twinkies as they look to even the series. tonight’s game will be televised by Root Sports Northwest, and MLB.tv subscribers can watch on connected devices.

With the win last night, the Seattle Mariners climbed to 4th place in the American League West. They are still 2.0 games back of the division leading Houston Astros, but the M’s have won 4 of their last 6 games, and may U-turning their season.

M’s Manager Lloyd McClendon and Twins boss Paul Molitor have released the following lineups for tonight’s game:

The Mariners are going with a nearly identical lineup on Saturday to the one they used in last night’s 2-0 victory. Logan Morrison had a big night for the M’s in the series opener, clubbing his first homerun of the season and playing a great first base. Following LoMo’s standout game, he and Dustin Ackley have flip-flopped in the order tonight. Nelson Cruz has carried this team offensively over the first 3 and a half weeks, and tonight he will get a break from playing the field. Seth Smith will get the nod tonight in right field, and Cruz will function as the designated hitter.

Hisashi Iwakuma Goes for Another MRI

The Mariners placed All Star hurler Hisashi Iwakuma on the 15-day disabled list after it was discovered he has strained his right lat muscle in his back. According to Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune, the severity of Iwkauma’s injury is still not known. He was sent for a second MRI earlier today, but it apparently was inconclusive. Apart from being bad timing with the Kuma bear hats give away tonight at Safeco, it is a troubling development for a club struggling to find consistent pitching. Hopefully, Iwakuma’s situation will be resolved soon, and he will only need a short trip to the DL.

Roenis Elias the “Unofficial” Starter for Sunday Afternoon

We have a Roenis Elias sighting! According to Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times, southpaw Roenis Elias has been recalled from Tacoma to start tomorrow’s game against the Twins in place of Iwakuma. Elias has struggled with the Rainiers this season, but the 26-year-old started 29 games in a Mariners’ uniform in 2014. He produced a quality rookie season, going 10-12 and posting a 3.85 ERA. Elias has all the necessary talent to be a starting pitcher in the big leagues, he just has to locate his pitches effectively early in the count to earn a spot. I expect a strong outing from the Guantanamo native in his 2015 debut on Sunday afternoon.

Apr 7, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners pitcher James Paxton (65) throws against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Pick to Click

Felix Hernandez was downright filthy in last night’s complete game shutout against the Twinkies. King Felix had Twins’ hitters off balance all night, and did an effective job locating his pitches. It was the 3rd consecutive strong outing from a Mariners’ starter, and I predict James Paxton will extend that streak to 4 games tonight in Seattle. The imposing left-hander has All Star potential, and I believe Paxton will dominate tonight versus Minnesota. Look for Pax-Man to pitch a minimum of 7 innings and allow 2 runs or less while striking out at least 7 Twins.

Final Score Prediction

Last night was a relatively quiet night for the M’s bats. With both teams’ ace on the hill, a pair of solo home runs proved to be the difference in the opener. I believe tonight will be a different story. On paper, the M’s are winning the pitching matchup tonight. As mentioned earlier, I expect a quality start from James Paxton on Saturday night at Safeco Field. Trevor May is a pitcher who relies heavily on his 92 mph fastball, and Seattle is a great fastball hitting club. I honestly do not think tonight’s game will be close. I predict the Mariners will “cruz” to an easy 8-1 victory over the Twins.

Check back with SoDo Mojo following today’s game for a full recap of the Mariners’ victory over the Twins (fingers crossed!)

Next: Mariners News: Hisashi Iwakuma Lands on DL

Next: Mariners Game Recap: King Felix Rules

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