Wedge may return for upcoming homestand

ST. PETERSBURG -- Mariners manager Eric Wedge has missed nearly a month since suffering a minor stroke on July 22, but acting manager Robby Thompson said Wedge could be ready to return to the club at the end of its nine-game road trip.

"He's doing really good," Thompson said prior to Thursday's series finale against the Rays. "He's doing outstanding. I talked to him yesterday. He's passing everything with flying colors. He's feeling much better. And there's a real good chance that he'll rejoin us when we get back. That's kind of where it stands right now.

"We're not 100-percent sure on that, but that's what we're hoping," said Thompson, who has been Wedge's bench coach for his three seasons in Seattle. "He sounds great. Each and every day, he's feeling better. He's following all the rules and guidelines of what he should be doing, and he's determined to get through this thing and get back in it and continue where he left off."

After the Rays series, the Mariners fly to Arlington and then end their road trip in Oakland before opening a six-game homestand on Aug. 23 against the Angels. The club has gone 9-12 with Thompson as acting manager.

General manager Jack Zduriencik has said that he doesn't want Wedge returning until he's ready to run the team on a full-time basis, but Thompson said no plan has been finalized for how things might be initially handled when the 45-year-old returns.

"We're going to talk about it," Thompson said. "We've talked briefly. I'm sure, through the doctors, he's trying to come up with a game plan for easing back into it. We'll talk again in Texas and Oakland and then have something based off what Eric wants to do. We'll have an answer to that before he comes back on the homestand."