Mariners notebook: Who is pitching on Wednesday?

The Mariners have TBA listed on the probables for Wednesday against the Padres, the day Roenis Elias would usually take his turn. The reason is simple, according to Lloyd McClendon.

“San Diego likes to hit off left-handers, that’s all,” he said in his pregame meeting with the media Sunday. “Nothing he’s done, just trying to get the best matchup.”

While not ready to officially announce that Elias will be skipped, it would appear that McClendon is more than ready to make the move. Saturday night he sent Elias to the bullpen in case he was needed. He stressed that the possible move has nothing to do with his performance.

“The only reason we have the option to do this is because of the off days,” he said. “I can move it around and try to get the best matchup we think is possible to give us to win ballgames.”

While it is somewhat unusual to have three lefties in a rotation (Elias, J.A. Happ and James Paxton), McClendon in general has been very pleased with what he has seen from his group.

“They have pitched quite well,” he said. “Elias has had three starts and deserves to win all three, we just didn’t support him. Paxton I think is back, he’s on a roll, throwing the ball extremely well. We all know what Happ has done. They’ve done a nice job. I have no complaints with any of them.”

Lineup!

Smith 7
Weeks DH
Cano 4
Cruz 9
Seager 5
Morrison 3
Ackley 7
Miller 6
Sucre 2

Felix

Notes:

• Chris Taylor was in the original lineup but that lineup was changed a few hours before the game.

“He was stepped on last night, took some X-rays this morning. We are waiting for results,” said McClendon.

Taylor’s hand got stepped diving back to first base in Saturday’s win over the A’s but he stayed in the game. Brad Miller, who took some early work with grounders once the change was made, now finds himself back at short for at least one game.

• Felix Hernandez enters the game five strikeouts short of 2000. If he hits the mark today he will become the fourth youngest player in MLB history to do so.

• Day game after the night game has Jesus Sucre behind the plate today. McClendon could have given Mike Zunino the day off yesterday and had him catch Felix, but with the off-day on Monday he thought two days off in a row would do Zunino good.

• The Mariners join the rest of MLB in wearing and swinging pink in support of breast cancer awareness. Several Mariners are using the pink bats today, all have pink wristbands, and some are sporting pink cleats as well.

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