Powell gives the Mariners a fourth outfielder on the 25-man roster
CLEVELAND — The Mariners continue to deal with injuries, which forced yet another roster move on Saturday morning.
The team announced that right-handed reliever Evan Scribner was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a flexor bundle strain in his right elbow. To fill his spot on the roster, the team recalled outfielder Boog Powell from Class AAA Tacoma.
Scribner had made eight appearances, posting a 0-2 record with an 11.05 ERA this season. The Mariners were using him largely in middle innings and mop up duties. It’s the third straight year that Scribner has made a trip to the disabled list. Last season, he suffered a torn lat muscle in spring training and missed most of the season, not returning till September. A flexor bundle strain is an injury that doesn’t have a quick return. Scribner could be out at least four weeks if not more.
By calling up Powell, the Mariners have added true outfield depth while eschewing an 8-man bullpen. While Taylor Motter can play almost anywhere on the field, Seattle only had three full-time outfielders on its 25-man roster — Jarrod Dyson, Guillermo Heredia and Ben Gamel. Powell gives the Mariners another option in the outfield and allows them to use Motter in other places.
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Powell was hitting .261 with a .424 on-base percentage, three doubles, four RBI and five stolen bases in 14 games with Class AAA Tacoma. He missed most of last season after testing positive for a performance enhancing drug and serving an 80-game suspension. That penalty carried over into the first week of this season. He activated from the restricted list on April 12.