BRENT STECKER

Mariners bring back Dae-Ho Lee, option Nori Aoki, add switch pitcher in whirlwind of roster moves

Aug 27, 2016, 12:51 PM | Updated: 1:01 pm

Dae-Ho Lee, who hit .519 in seven games with Triple-A Tacoma, has been recalled by the Mariners. (A...

Dae-Ho Lee, who hit .519 in seven games with Triple-A Tacoma, has been recalled by the Mariners. (AP)

(AP)

With a short bullpen and a lack of right-handed hitters to face the White Sox’s lefty starting pitchers, the Mariners needed to make some moves. And make them, they did.

Seattle optioned outfielder Norichika Aoki and infielder Mike Freeman to Triple-A Tacoma and placed reliever Tom Wilhelmsen on the disabled list with a back injury on Saturday, calling up first baseman Dae-Ho Lee and switch pitcher Pat Venditte from Tacoma and reliever Dan Altavilla from Double-A Jackson to take their roster spots.

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Lee, 34, spent just a week in Triple-A and dominated minor-league pitching in his short stay, hitting .519 with two homers, four doubles and six RBIs in seven games. With the Mariners, the South Korean slugger has a .246 average with 13 homers and 41 RBIs through 84 games in his rookie MLB season. Wilhelmsen’s placement on the DL allowed the Mariners to add Lee back before the 10 days otherwise required following a minor-league option has passed.

Venditte, 31, will give the Mariners both versatility and an option as a lefty specialist they previously lacked in the bullpen. As a switch pitcher, he can throw both right-handed and left-handed and can choose which arm he use before every batter. Acquired on Aug. 6 in a trade with Toronto, Venditte was 1-0 with a 1.08 ERA and 11 strikeouts in five relief appearances (8 1/3 innings) for the Rainers. He previously played in the majors with the Blue Jays and Athletics.

Altavilla, 23, has taken a route to the majors similar to that of rookie Mariners closer Edwin Diaz, as both have been converted from starters to the bullpen and have jumped straight from Double-A to Seattle. Altavilla went 7-3 with a 1.91 ERA, 16 saves, 65 strikeouts and 22 walks in 43 relief appearances (56 2/3 innings) with the Generals.

Aoki, 34, is making his second trip to Tacoma this season. He has been one of Seattle’s better hitters since being called up on July 20, hitting .316 with nine doubles, a triple, 11 runs scored, five RBIs and a .362 on-base percentage over his last 31 games. Like his previous demotion, Aoki finds himself the odd man out as he has minor-league options left and at the moment the Mariners need relief pitching and right-handed hitters more than his left-handed outfield bat.

Wilhelmsen, 32, has a 3.20 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 22 relief appearances (19 2/3 innings) since returning to Seattle from a disastrous stint with the Texas Rangers earlier this season.

Freeman, 29, did not appear in a game in his latest call-up with the Mariners. He was added Thursday as insurance behind Shawn O’Malley at third base, who was filling in while Kyle Seager recovered from a bruise on his foot that caused him to miss three games. Seager returns to the lineup Saturday.

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Mariners bring back Dae-Ho Lee, option Nori Aoki, add switch pitcher in whirlwind of roster moves