SEATTLE (AP) - The list of big names on the Seattle Mariners disabled list grew on Tuesday with the addition of second baseman Robinson Cano due to a quadriceps strain.
The move to place Cano on the 10-day disabled list was not a major surprise after he missed the previous five games with the injury, but continued Seattle’s run of terrible luck staying healthy.
Cano is the ninth Seattle player to land on the disabled list since the start of the season and sixth since April 26, including Felix Hernandez, James Paxton, Hisashi Iwakuma and Mitch Haniger.
Cano is hitting .296 with eight homers and 28 RBIs in 34 games.
“A lot of things have happened this year on the injury front and this is another one,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said.
Cano was initially hurt during Seattle’s 10-9 win over Philadelphia on May 9, a game he left early. Cano returned the next day and collected four hits against the Phillies, but missed all four games last weekend in Toronto and was scratched from the initial starting lineup when the Mariners returned home on Monday. Cano had an MRI that confirmed the strain, and the Mariners decided a few extra days of rest would be the best move.
Because the injury is retroactive for a few days, Cano is eligible to come off the disabled list when Seattle opens a road trip at Washington next Tuesday. Servais expects Cano to be ready.
“It’s nothing that we think is going to take longer than an extra five or six days and he should be good to go, rather than waiting day to day to day,” Servais said.
Taylor Motter will get the bulk of the playing time with Cano out, and Seattle recalled outfielder Boog Powell from Triple-A Tacoma to have another option on the bench.
Cano’s move to the disabled list wasn’t the only major news with Seattle. The Mariners are also moving young reliever Edwin Diaz out of the closer role because of struggles with his mechanics. Diaz walked four batters and recorded just one out in Monday’s victory.
Seattle pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. said the intent is to still use Diaz out of the bullpen but in lower pressure situations until he can get some mechanical issues resolved. The problem that emerged in Monday’s outing was Diaz getting too fast in his delivery, his arm falling behind and being unable to make the correction while trying to finish off a game.
“I’m not changing anything other than the timing of how he works,” Stottlemyre said.
Diaz understood the decision to pull him from the closer role and spent time in the bullpen working with Stottlemyre early on Tuesday. Servais said a committee will be responsible for the ninth inning, including Tony Zych, Nick Vincent, Steve Cishek and Marc Rzepczynski all as options.
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