SHANNON DRAYER

Mariners notebook: Scott Servais doesn’t expect Steve Clevenger story to be a distraction

Sep 23, 2016, 5:08 PM

Steve Clevenger has been suspended for the remained of the season without pay by the Mariners. (AP)...

Steve Clevenger has been suspended for the remained of the season without pay by the Mariners. (AP)

(AP)

MINNEAPOLIS – The television in the manager’s office in the visiting clubhouse of Target Field was tuned to the MLB Network on Friday afternoon, and as the media filed in the story being run was about the Mariners. It was not a story that any manager wants to see, particularly not when his team is fighting for a spot in the playoffs. It was the story of Steve Clevenger’s suspension, and while Scott Servais turned the volume down on the network to begin his media availability, the big question of the day was of course the topic on the screen.

“Very surprised,” Servais said when asked for his reaction to Clevenger’s racially insensitive tweets and subsequent team suspension. “We were traveling yesterday and when we landed heard that there were some things that got out on social media. Just surprised.”

With important games in front of them, Servais does not see the Clevenger situation as a potential distraction for the team.

“I don’t believe it will be,” he said. “We had a little team get-together last night, a few of the guys knew what had happened. I don’t anticipate it being a distraction at all. We have 10 games to play and we kind of know what is at stake and where our focus needs to be and that’s on playing a good ball game tonight and beating the Twins. It’s unfortunate, I think it surprised a lot of people, but we have got games to play.”

As Clevenger has not spent much time with the team since breaking a bone in his hand at the end of June – the Mariners sent him to Arizona shortly after surgery to rehab the injury – it is not an obvious omission from the clubhouse, and as such should make it easier for his teammates to move on.

Clevenger has been suspended without pay for the remainder of the season. All player contracts include a clause that players agree to represent their team and MLB and behave in a socially responsible way. There are reports that Clevenger and the Player’s Association will not appeal the suspension. Clevenger is under club control through 2020 and arbitration eligible after this season, but the team could elect to non-tender him next season.

Notes

• Seattle general manager Jerry Dipoto has added Justin Hollander to his staff as Director of Baseball Operations. Hollander has spent the past nine season in the Angels front office, the last year as Director of Player Personnel.

• Playoff odds heading into Friday’s games for the American League’s Wild Card contenders: Blue Jays 77.2 percent, Tigers 57.8 percent, Orioles 33.9 percent, Astros 16.6 percent, Mariners 12.9 percent, NYY 1.6 percent.

• Pitching probables for the Twins series: Friday, James Paxton vs. Kyle Gibson (RHP); Saturday, Ariel Miranda vs. Tyler Duffey (RHP); Sunday, Taijuan Walker vs. Hector Santiago (LHP).

Mariners Roof Report

Brought to you by
Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny
High 66° | Low 43°
Roof is open
Rockies at Mariners today at 1:10pm

Shannon Drayer

Seattle Mariners Luis Castillo...

Shannon Drayer

Mariners Notebook: Opening day starter set, plus a pitch clock wrinkle

Shannon Drayer details the makeup of the Seattle Mariners' planned 2024 starting rotation and opening day starter, plus much more from Arizona.

11 hours ago

Seattle Mariners Logan Gilbert...

Shannon Drayer

Seattle Mariners Notebook: Checking in on the pitchers

Seattle Mariners' Shannon Drayer caught up with Logan Gilbert after a good outing, and has notes on Luis Castillo, Matt Brash and more.

1 day ago

Seattle Mariners Scott Servais...

Shannon Drayer

Drayer: How Mariners and Servais view start of season differently

After some slow starts in years past, the Seattle Mariners plan to approach the start of the season differently, Scott Servais says.

2 days ago

Seattle Mariners Lazaro Montes...

Shannon Drayer

Drayer: Why 2 young Mariners prospects are of particular interest

Recent iInternational free agent signings Lazaro Montes and Felnin Celesten are two Seattle Mariners prospects worthy of attention.

3 days ago

Seattle Mariners Harry Ford...

Shannon Drayer

Mariners vets show they have the backs of top prospects

"This group of veteran players on our team is probably the most open with young players as any group I have ever been around," Seattle Mariners manager Scott Servais said.

4 days ago

Seattle Mariners Gregory Santos...

Shannon Drayer

Mariners’ Gregory Santos has setback, but may have avoided worse injury

New Seattle Mariners reliever Gregory Santos is still dealing with a lat issue, though the hope is that he stopped throwing at the right time.

7 days ago

Mariners notebook: Scott Servais doesn’t expect Steve Clevenger story to be a distraction