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Seattle Mariners

Mariners Pregame: Another trade and Phelps arrives; lineups and starters

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Andrew Moore throws against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning on July 16, 2017, in Chicago. (Nam Y. Huh / Associated Press)
By Dave Nichols daven@spokesman.com(509) 459-5441

Game 98: Seattle Mariners (48-49) vs. New York Yankees (49-45) at 7:10 p.m. in the second of a four-game series at Safeco Field.

On Thursday, Felix Hernandez tossed a gem but the offense was clogged up, going 2 for 14 with runners in scoring position in a 4-1 loss to the Yankees.

The Mariners fell 2 1/2 games behind the Yankees for the second wildcard spot in the American League.

Transactions: The Mariners acquired LHP Marco Gonzales (Gonzaga) from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for outfielder Tyler O’Neill. Gonzales will be assigned to AAA-Tacoma.

Gonzales owns a low-90s fastball with armside action, a high-quality changeup he uses as his “out” pitch and an average-at-best curveball.

He spent most of 2015 and 2016 battling two separate arm injuries, eventually settling on Tommy John surgery. He’s made one big league start for the Cardinals this season, allowing four runs on seven hits and a walk over 2 2/3 innings in a 8-5 loss to Milwaukee. For AAA Memphis this season Gonzales was 6-4 with a 2.90 ERA, 1.039 WHIP and 7.5 K/9 in 11 starts.

Recently acquired reliever David Phelps was added to the active roster and assigned No. 46. RHP Max Povse was optioned to Tacoma to make room on the roster.

Lineups and starters

Courtesy @MarinersPR
Courtesy @MarinersPR

Starters: RHP Andrew Moore (1-1, 5.25) vs. LHP CC Sabathia (8-3, 3.54)

Mariners Notes

  • 2B Robinson Canó collected his 494th career double last night. He ranks 70th all-time in MLB history and is one double shy of tying Aramis Ramirez and Frank Thomas for 68th-most all-time.
  • With six more doubles, Canó will become the 63rd player in MLB history with at least 500 career doubles. Of the 62 players with 500-plus doubles, 37 are in the Hall of Fame. Edgar Martinez is still the leader in the Mariners clubhouse with 514 career doubles.
  • Seattle has two of the top seven RBI leaders in the American League. Nelson Cruz is first with 74 RBI and Canó ranks tied for sixth with 65. Seattle is one of three American League teams and eight Major League teams to have multiple players with at least 60 RBI apiece.

This Day in Mariners History

In 1988, the Mariners acquire Jay Buhner, Rick Balabon and Troy Evers from the New York Yankees in exchange for Ken Phelps.

In 1998, Ken Griffey Jr. belted his 40th homer of the season, becoming the quickest player ever to reach that number in a season (100 games). It also marked his fifth season with 40-plus home runs.