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Madritsch put on DL after MRI

Seattle Mariners' Bobby Madritsch won't be pitching again for at least 15 days after being placed on the disabled list on Saturday. (Associate Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Kirby Arnold Everett Herald
Seattle Mariners' Bobby Madritsch won't be pitching again for at least 15 days after being placed on the disabled list on Saturday. (Associate Press / The Spokesman-Review)

SEATTLE – The Mariners won’t know until today if Bobby Madritsch’s shoulder injury will be a long-term issue, but another MRI on Saturday – this one of the intrusive variety – has determined his fate for the next two weeks.

The Mariners put their left-handed starting pitcher on the 15-day disabled list after they decided Madritsch needed an “augmented” MRI, in which dye was injected into the shoulder. The team hopes to learn the results today.

“Even if the MRI comes out good, they’re going to use dye and that takes four or five days (to recover),” Hargrove said. “It makes sense to go ahead and DL him.”

Madritsch left the game Wednesday with pain in the back of his left shoulder after throwing a pitch. An MRI on Wednesday showed there was no tear in the tissue around the shoulder, giving the Mariners hope that he wouldn’t miss more than one start.

Madritsch felt more pain while throwing Friday, which prompted the M’s medical staff to order a more extensive test.

Leone called up

The Mariners decided to add a position player and operate with one less pitcher in Madritsch’s absence.

They called up third baseman Justin Leone from Class AAA Tacoma and named right-hander Ryan Franklin as their starter in Kansas City on Monday, when Madritsch would have started.

Leone went 1 for 3 with a solo home run and two walks for Tacoma in its season opener Thursday at Fresno.

The move leaves the Mariners with an 11-man pitching staff, including seven relievers instead of the eight they started the season with.

“We were going to go to a seven-man pen at some point in time anyway,” Hargrove said. “We felt we could better use an extra position player at this time than another pitcher.”

Center of attention

Willie Bloomquist proved Friday night he not only can play every position on the infield and outfield, he can play them well.

He starred in center field when he made a running catch of Alfonso Soriano’s drive to the right-center gap in the ninth inning as the Mariners protected a three-run lead. Hargrove said he didn’t need to see that play to know Bloomquist could play the position.

“I knew pretty much in spring training that he was a center fielder,” Hargrove said. “But last night was a big play.”

Hargrove said he probably would start Bloomquist at shortstop today.

Coming attractions

Franklin will face Runelvys Hernandez in the Mariners’ first road game in Kansas City on Monday, Aaron Sele will face Zack Greinke on Wednesday and Jamie Moyer will pitch against Denny Bautisa on Thursday.

Of note

Ichiro Suzuki has had two hits in each of the Mariners’ five games, giving him a .526 average. His double in the eighth inning Saturday was his first of the season. …Joel Pineiro will start today for Class AAA Tacoma at Fresno in his final outing before he joins the Mariners next weekend. He is scheduled to start Saturday’s game at Chicago. … Mike Hargrove remains two victories from 1,000 in his managing career.