Mariners’ opening day roster: Kyle Lewis to IL, Yusei Kikuchi gets Game 2

The Mariners have released their official opening day 26-man roster for the 2021 season, and while Kyle Lewis is technically listed on it, he won’t be in action for at least the team’s first two series.

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Lewis will begin the season on the 10-day injured list with a deep bone bruise in his right knee, which is the same knee he had surgically repaired early on in his pro career. Though the injury occurred on March 22, his placement on the IL is retroactive to just March 28, meaning that will be considered the start date for his stint of at least 10 days on the IL.

Per 710 ESPN Seattle’s Shannon Drayer, Mariners manager Scott Servais said Thursday that the team wants to give Lewis a couple of weeks to recover before putting the reigning American League Rookie of the Year on the field.

Take a look at the full roster the Mariners announced in the embedded tweet below.

🔒 it in. #SeaUsRise pic.twitter.com/Fy0L2ChNhW

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) March 31, 2021

Not listed in the graphic are three other players in addition to Lewis on the injured list: infielder Shed Long Jr. (10-day IL) and pitchers Andrés Muñoz and Ken Giles (both 60-day IL). Muñoz and Giles each are recovering from Tommy John surgery, with Muñoz expected to return at some point this season but Giles out until 2022. Long is expected to play this season but is still recovering from shin surgery he underwent last fall.

With Lewis out, first baseman/outfielder José Marmolejos joins Taylor Trammell, Mitch Haniger, Jake Fraley and utility man Sam Haggerty as Seattle’s options in the outfield.

Trammell, who will be making his MLB debut at T-Mobile Park in Thursday’s 7:10 p.m. opening night contest against San Francisco, was in a battle for the left field job in spring training but is likely to slide over to center field with Lewis is out of action.

Servais relayed some news about the rotation Wednesday as well, with Yusei Kikuchi set to follow opening night starter Marco Gonzales in Seattle’s second game of the season and James Paxton being saved until the fifth spot in the Mariners’ sixth-man rotation. That means Paxton’s first regular season game since returning to the Mariners will be Tuesday, April 6 against the White Sox. Paxton, a Canadian citizen, had limited time in Cactus League play this spring due to visa issues.

The full order of Seattle’s rotation will be Gonzales, Kikuchi, Chris Flexen, Justus Sheffield, Paxton and Justin Dunn.

The notable pitchers to make the cut in the bullpen are Drew Steckenrider, Casey Sadler, and Rule 5 Draft selection Will Vest. Because of Rule 5, the Mariners must keep Vest on their active roster throughout the entire season (unless he is injured) or otherwise offer him back to the Detroit Tigers.

The Mariners also announced their alternate site roster. The alternate site will be held at T-Mobile Park until the minor league season begins.

Check out our Alternate Site Roster. ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/OSQ1grV6E6

— Mariners Player Development (@MsPlayerDev) April 1, 2021

The Mariners’ opener airs live Thursday night on 710 ESPN Seattle beginning with the pregame show hosted by Drayer at 6 p.m. Tune in to the station throughout the day for plenty of M’s coverage, including conversations with Mariners players, coaches, front office members and MLB insiders.

Follow Brent Stecker on Twitter.

More Mariners season previews from 710Sports.com

• Which Mariners player is most likely to have a bounce back season?
• Drayer: Gonzales vows Mariners are ‘prepared to make a statement’
• Groz: Why this is the most important Mariners season of the last decade
• M’s haul from Padres, led by Trammell and France, may speed up rebuild
• Kelenic won’t make roster but focused on getting call ‘as soon as possible’
• Mitch Haniger is back in form, and he’s leading not just by example
• Unafraid to speak his mind, Kelenic makes no apologies for who he is

Follow @BrentStecker