Piggyback Returns: Mariners announce weekend pitching plans

The Seattle Mariners are deploying a piggyback start once more this weekend.

Manager Dan Wilson told reporters before Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels that the club will use right-handers Logan Gilbert and Emerson Hancock in a piggyback for Saturday’s matchup against the Toronto Blue Jays. Gilbert will get the start and Hancock will follow in relief.

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MLB.com’s Daniel Kramer reported the Mariners may use one more piggyback start before the All-Star break but it has yet to be determined.

Luis Castillo will start Friday’s series opener against Toronto and George Kirby will start the finale Sunday.

Gilbert and Hancock were initially scheduled to participate in a piggyback last Saturday in Cleveland, as Gilbert first told Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk. But the Mariners announced a change of plans before the game that Gilbert would get a normal start and Hancock would start the following day.

Seattle ended up losing both games, which included an eighth-inning meltdown from its short-handed bullpen in a 6-5 loss in the series finale.

The Mariners in mid-June originally announced their plans to go to a piggyback for three turns through the rotation, with each of the starters on their 26-man roster slated to participate in one piggyback.

Bryce Miller and Luis Castillo made the first start on June 19 before Seattle diverted from its plan last weekend.

If the Mariners are to use another piggyback start before the All-Star break, it would feature Bryan Woo and George Kirby if they stick to their plan of every starter taking part in the strategy.

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