Speaking before Tuesday's series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates, manager Dan Wilson gave some insight into the team's pitching strategy moving forward.
PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- Speaking before Tuesday's series opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Seattle Mariners manager Dan Wilson confirmed the team's pitching plans for the next week's worth of games.
George Kirby, Bryan Woo and Bryce Miller will pitch in the Pirates series, while the team will send Luis Castillo to the mound on Friday in the series opener against the Cleveland Guardians.
Wilson also confirmed that Logan Gilbert will start on Saturday and be piggybacked by Emerson Hancock. Gilbert said that was the plan in an early morning interview on Tuesday on Seattle Sports 710. Kirby will start the finale against Cleveland.
The 'piggyback' plan is bound to draw some eye rolls from Mariners fans who are upset at the idea of removing a well-performing pitcher for a reliever while the pitch count is still in tact.
Miller was removed last Friday against Boston after throwing five innings of one-run ball. He had seven strikeouts and had only thrown 66 pitches. Gilbert is coming off three consecutive outings of six innings or more, so the potential exists for the same thing to happen to him.
On Tuesday, Wilson said that the organization understands the piggyback and that you have to remove the individual's prior performance and stay committed to the plan.
He said the main benefit of the piggyback is to keep starters stretched out. That makes sense in case of an injury to one of the other five starters.
The Mariners enter play on Tuesday at 40-39 overall and in first place in the American League West. They lead the A's and Rangers by 1.5 games each. The Pirates are 39-39 and in fourth place in the National League Central.
Seattle Mariners starter Emerson Hancock (26) delivers a pitch second inning against the Boston Red Sox at T-Mobile Park. Stephen Brashear-Imagn ImagesElsewhere in Mariners news
--Cole Young, a native of the Pittsburgh suburbs, spoke pregame about coming back to play in his hometown. He said he came to Pirates games as a kid and was in the crowd for the 2013 wild card game against the Cincinnati Reds. He cited Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker as his favorite players growing up.
--Arozarena is in the lineup on Tuesday as part of his comeback from injury.
--Dominic Canzone is not in the lineup on Tuesday after being removed from Sunday's win with a hamstring issue. Here's the latest from Wilson on his prognosis moving forward.
Of note
The latest 'Refuse to Lose Territory' podcast is out. You can listen here, or you can watch in the YouTube player below. There will be a new episode on Wednesday featuring ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney.
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