Mariners’ James Paxton, Jake Fraley placed on 10-day IL; Braden Bishop, Ljay Newsome recalled
Apr 7, 2021, 11:01 AM | Updated: 11:51 am
(Getty)
The Mariners are still awaiting the prognosis for injuries suffered by two players Tuesday night, but they have added reinforcements in time for their series finale Wednesday afternoon against the White Sox.
M’s Notebook: What’s next in OF, rotation with Fraley and Paxton hurt
Seattle placed starting pitcher James Paxton and outfielder Jake Fraley on the 10-day injured list Wednesday morning, recalling pitcher Ljay Newsome and outfielder Braden Bishop from the team’s alternate site to take their roster spots.
Paxton made his first start of the season and first appearance with the Mariners since 2018 on Tuesday night, and while he looked great in a 1-2-3 first inning, disaster struck in the second. He had to leave the game in the middle of an at-bat with what was first called left elbow discomfort but was characterized after the game as a left forearm strain.
Paxton, 32, spent the previous two seasons with the Yankees after being traded from Seattle to New York and rejoined the Mariners on a one-year deal in free agency over the offseason. He had his 2020 season cut short due to a left forearm flexor strain, though he said after Tuesday’s game that the issue he encountered this time around felt different than that injury.
The 25-year-old Fraley has been the Mariners’ usual left fielder so far in the young season, but he was pulled Tuesday night with a left hamstring strain shortly after making a diving catch.
Fraley is 1 for 10 with a double at the plate this year and has walked eight times in 19 plate appearances.
The Mariners were already a bit thin in the outfield to begin the season with center fielder and reigning American League Rookie of the Year Kyle Lewis on the 10-day IL with a bone bruise on his surgically-repaired right knee. Manager Scott Servais said before Tuesday’s game that Lewis had his first batting practice session since the injury and felt good, and that he would progress next to plyometric exercises. Lewis is expected to return before the end of the month.
Bishop, 27, will join Taylor Trammell, Mitch Haniger, and utility players Sam Haggerty, José Marmolejos and Dylan Moore as outfield options for Seattle. Moore was in Wednesday’s lineup in left field.
Bishop hit 3 for 24 in 19 games this spring training, and was 5 for 30 in 12 games with the Mariners last season.
Newsome, 24, will join Seattle’s bullpen with Nick Margevicius assuming the open spot in the six-man rotation left open by Paxton’s injury. Newsome allowed three runs over 9 2/3 innings in four spring training appearances, and in five games with the M’s last season allowed five runs over 15 2/3 innings (five appearances, four starts).
The Mariners and White Sox play at 1:10 p.m. Wednesday. Coverage begins on 710 ESPN Seattle with the pregame show at noon.
M’s suffer 2 injuries, lose to White Sox 10-4 after Abreu’s grand slam