Mariners pitcher Ryan Rowland-Smith has been optioned by the Seattle to Triple-A Tacoma, after being activated from the 15-day disabled list.
Rowland-Smith, expected to be in Seattles rotation to start the season, was placed on the DL April 15 with triceps tendinitis. He made one start with the Mariners before getting injured.
The plan with him is to continue to let him pitch down (in Tacoma), Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu said.
We still see Rowland-Smith as a big part of our future and he will more than likely be up here later in the year. Its just a matter of letting him continue to develop confidence in his pitches and building his pitch counts up.
The left-hander started a rehab assignment on May 23 and made five starts at Tacoma, posting a 1-3 record and 6.92 ERA. He was tagged for 12 runs and 14 hits in one rehab start against Reno on June 5, which postponed his expected return to the Mariners.
Wakamatsu said they wanted Rowland-Smith to continue to work as a starter in Tacoma rather than rejoin the Mariners and work out of the bullpen.
We had that option today and the biggest thing was not to set him back, Wakamatsu said. To have him come up here and all of a sudden sit and then in a couple weeks, who knows what is going to happen. We may need him to start at that time.
Pitcher Shawn Kelley threw 33 pitches in a simulated game on Tuesday. Kelley was placed on the disabled list on May 6, a day after he strained his left oblique against the Texas Rangers. Wakamatsu said the plan with Kelley is to have him throw another bullpen session in Seattle on Thursday. He will then be sent on a rehab assignment to Arizona for appearances on Saturday and Monday before rejoining Tacoma.
Today was a big step because you get the hitters in there, you step it up another level, you throw a little harder, you test it out a little more, Kelley said. Today was a huge day for me and it couldnt have went better.
The Mariners hope to get Kelley activated on their next homestand which begins July 6. Kelley has appeared in 10 games with a 1-1 record and 1.54 ERA before landing on the disabled list.
Second baseman Jose Lopez is returning from bereavement leave Wednesday night. Lopez has been tending to his gravely ill sister in his native Venezuela since being placed on leave on June 18. Wakamatsu said they are looking to activate Lopez on Thursday.
