The Mariners put 40-year-old RHP Joel Peralta on the major league roster, among eight moves Sunday, none surprising, to reach the mandatory 25-player limit for Opening Day. Seattle begins the regular season at 1:05 p.m. Monday against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington, TX.
In addition to adding Peralta, a free agent signed to a minor league contract Feb. 9 from the Dodgers to patch the bullpen, the Mariners designated for assignment C Rob Brantly; re-assigned to the minors RHPs Blake Parker and Donn Roach, INF Efren Navarro and OF Daniel Robertson.
Placed on the 15-day disabled list were LHP Charlie Furbush and RHP Evan Scribner, retroactive to March 25. Already on the 60-day DL were RHP Ryan Cook and C Jesus Sucre.
Other than injuries to the relievers that forced the Mariners into adding Peralta and RHP Nick Vincent, acquired from San Diego last week, there was little change from most pre-camp estimations of the roster makeup.
LHP Mike Montgomery made the roster as a reliever, instead of a starter, where he performed erratically last year after joining Seattle.
1B/DH Dae-Ho Lee, a 33-year-old rookie from South Korea, did well enough in the field and at the plate to land the platoon job at first with Adam Lind, forcing the the cut of Jesus Montero.
Lee joins another newcomer, Luis Sardinas, 22, as the backup infielders. In the outfield, Franklin Gutierrez, limited by health, is the only real backup, as Seth Smith and Nelson Cruz will rotate among DH/LF/RF positions.
In Monday’s opener, RHP Felix Hernandez will face Texas lefty Cole Hamels. Hernandez is 6-0 with a 1.49 ERA in eight Opening Day starts. Hamels went 2-1 with a 4.00 ERA against the Mariners last season.
25-MAN OPENING DAY ROSTER
Pitchers
34 HERNANDEZ, Felix, RHP
18 IWAKUMA, Hisashi, RHP
20 MILEY, Wade, LHP
44 WALKER, Taijuan, RHP
13 KARNS, Nathan, RHP
53 BENOIT, Joaquin, RHP
31 CISHEK, Steve, RHP
37 MONTGOMERY, Mike, LHP
38 NUÑO, Vidal, LHP
62 PERALTA, Joel, RHP
50 VINCENT, Nick, RHP
55 ZYCH, Tony, RHP
29 COOK, Ryan 60-day DL, RHP
41 FURBUSH, Charlie – DL, LHP
58 SCRIBNER, Evan – DL, RHP
Catchers
32 CLEVENGER, Steve
33 IANNETTA, Chris
2 SUCRE, Jesus 60-day DL
Infielders
22 CANÓ, Robinson, 2B
10 LEE, Dae-Ho, INF
26 LIND, Adam, 1B
4 MARTE, Ketel, INF
16 SARDIÑAS, Luis, INF
15 SEAGER, Kyle, 3B
Outfielders
8 AOKI, Norichika
23 CRUZ, Nelson, OF/DH
21 GUTIERREZ, Franklin
12 MARTIN, Leonys
7 SMITH, Seth