Mariners notebook: Robinson Cano is a go

ANAHEIM – Quick notes today as it’s a day game after night game, I have a TV hit, and to be honest I’m hungry and would like to eat breakfast, so I will keep this short and sweet.

Robinson Cano is good to go after being hit in the head with the throw from Taylor Featherston last night. I spoke with Cano briefly and he told me he felt fine and had no headache or fuzziness following the incident. Cano was checked by the Mariners staff this morning and then was scheduled to be seen by the Angels team doctor about an hour before first pitch. He’s still in the lineup so I would assume he checked out fine.

Lineup!

Austin Jackson, CF
Franklin Gutierrez, LF
Robinson Cano, 2B
Nelson Cruz, DH
Kyle Seager, 3B
Mark Trumbo, RF
Brad Miller, SS
Mike Zunino, C
Willie Bloomquist, 1B

Felix Hernandez, RHP

Notes

• The day game after night game means we have a bit of a different lineup. With two of five days off at the start of this road trip, Lloyd McClendon is going with Mike Zunino behind the plate, partly because he likes him catching Felix and partly because he is starting to show life at the plate. More on that below. On the flip side he is giving Logan Morrison the day off to get him two days with the team not playing Monday. McClendon said that Morrison is still battling a bit of a back issue from time to time.

• I tweeted last night (and if you don’t follow me on Twitter you should @shannondrayer) that yesterday marked a small milestone for Zunino. With the groundout to end the game he completed his third straight strikeout-free game. That is a big league first for him.

• McClendon confirmed this morning that he is indeed flipping Taijuan Walker and Roenis Elias. Walker will start Wednesday in San Diego and Elias will go Thursday against the A’s. The Padres are extremely right-handed heavy and McClendon did not want to throw two lefties against them. He also believed an couple of extra days could benefit Elias, who is coming off a rough start.