Postgame notes: Seager update and back to work for Felix

MESA, Ariz. – A few quick notes after the Mariners 12-10 loss to the Cubs.

Kyle Seager was scratched from the original lineup with tightness in his side. After the game Lloyd McClendon said there is no need for concern.

“He had a little tightness and we didn’t want to take a chance,” he said. “He was fine. Passed all the tests and stuff. It’s just too late in the spring to even think about taking a chance. He’s fine, checked out OK. I just did it as a precautionary measure.”

McClendon wasn’t sure when the tightness occurred, as he was told when he was leaving the complex for Mesa. I saw Seager leave the field with his teammates after morning batting practice and everything seemed to be OK – he even stopped to sign a number of autographs. It would appear that this is nothing serious. We will see if he is in the lineup tomorrow.

As for the game itself, this was not one of Felix’s better Cactus League starts. He gave up six runs on six hits, including a home run to super prospect Kris Bryant that was absolutely crushed. It was the changeup that Bryant hit out, a pitch that gave Felix trouble throughout his brief 2 2/3 inning start.

“It was up, it was flat, it wasn’t doing anything. Slider too,” he said. “Fastball was fine. After that there was nothing else.”

Felix threw 65 pitches in the game and then another 15 in the bullpen to get his pitch count up. He has had outings like this before in the spring and knows that there is still work that has to be done even as runs are being scored.

“It’s part of the game, its definitely not the result I want but I just get my work in and throw a lot of pitches. That’s what I am here for,” he said.

The changeup will be his focus this week. He wasn’t particularly pleased with it in his first outing and less so today.

“I am going to work on it in my bullpens and see if it is still there,” he said, voice trailing off with a little laugh.

Is he worried about it?

“No,” he said. “No, I am not. Just forget about this one and go do my work for next time.”

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