Notebook: New faces expected to join the Mariners in Anaheim

OAKLAND – The Tacoma Rainiers’ season came to an end Saturday night with a 5-4 loss to El Paso in Game 4 of their playoff series. With the Rainiers’ season now over, we will see a few more additions to the Mariners.

“You can’t bring everybody up,” manager Scott Servais said before the Mariners’ game against the A’s Sunday. “You have got to look at how much playing time is actually available for the guys that come up. We’ll get a pitcher and probably a couple of infielders. We will give those guys some exposure and we will see how it goes.”

Dan Vogelbach, Mike Freeman and Cody Martin are expected to join the team in Anaheim. Martin can provide help in the bullpen and Freeman gives the Mariners another infield option, something they could have used Saturday. With a huge lead in the game, Servais was able to get Robinson Cano off his feet for a couple of innings by replacing him with Shawn O’Malley. There was no one to give a break to Kyle Seager, who has had some leg issues of his own a break, however. That should change Monday.

As for Vogelbach, we should see his MLB debut, but the question is when. While in past years September has been largely about getting young players a taste of the big leagues, winning will continue to be the priority as long as the team is still in contention. It will be interesting to see how Servais works Vogelbach in.

There is a possibility we could see Wade LeBlanc added as well. Should James Paxton’s fingernail look like it is going to prevent him from giving the team good innings, LeBlanc could help out – but he would first have to be added to the 40-man roster.

Notes

• The A’s had a little roster news of their own Sunday morning as they released Billy Butler, who hit .258 with 19 home runs and 96 RBIs in two seasons with the team. Butler, who was involved in an altercation with teammate Danny Valencia last month, had one year remaining on his contract with the A’s and is owed $10 million.

• Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager hit his 25th home run of the season, making him and Kyle (28 home runs) the first brothers in MLB history to hit 25 or more home runs in a single season.