Mariners Log: Felix Hernandez injured, out after five innings with ‘tight groin muscle’

On a fourth-inning putout in the Seattle Mariners’ Opening Day game against the Houston Astros, Felix Hernandez hit the first base bag hard and came up limping a bit. He pitched a scoreless fifth, but was seen in the dugout afterward in animated discussion with trainers while holding his left leg up.

The Mariners announced Hernandez suffered a “tight groin muscle” and reliever Nick Vincent replaced him for the sixth, trailing 2-0 at the time.

From replays, it looks like Hernandez might have let up just as he got to the bag in discomfort. Trainers came out for a chat and after a couple of tosses he kept going, but continued to limp between pitches. He fought through the fifth but came out for the reliever in the bottom of the sixth.

Hernandez went five full innings. He allowed two earned runs on a pair of solo homers. He gave up five hits and no walks, striking out six and has 48 strikes in his 69 pitches.