BALTIMORE -- In addition to acquiring right-hander Mike Leake from the Cardinals on Wednesday, the Mariners could have other rotation reinforcements on the way soon, as manager Scott Servais confirmed both Felix Hernandez and James Paxton would throw bullpen sessions this weekend when the club returns to Seattle.
Servais said Hernandez might throw off the mound Friday for the first time since he was sidelined after his July 31 start in Texas with bursitis in his right shoulder, while Paxton will "definitely throw this weekend."
Paxton has been out since Aug. 11 with a strained right pectoral muscle.
"Both got stretched out to 120 feet in their throwing program and were getting on it a little bit," Servais said. "Both of the reports after they threw last was very positive, so fingers crossed, [we'll] keep moving in the right direction. And hopefully when they get up on the mound, we can start speeding it up a little quicker."
The Mariners have been trying to make an American League Wild Card push with both of their top two starters sidelined, along with veteran Hisashi Iwakuma, who still isn't close to returning from a right shoulder issue that has kept him out since early May.

Hernandez and Paxton will need to make some rehab outings after they progress to the bullpen sessions. With Minor League seasons ending in early September, they'll likely just use simulated situations against teammates to build up their arm strength before possibly returning in mid-September.
Worth noting
• Center fielder Jarrod Dyson, who has been on the 10-day DL since Aug. 17 with a right groin strain, took batting practice on Wednesday and "all things are pointing to him being available for us Friday when we get back home," Servais said.
• Reliever Tony Zych is also progressing well, as he's been rehabbing back in Seattle from a right elbow flexor bundle strain that sidelined him on Aug. 20.
"Tony is playing catch and feels better," Servais said. "It won't take much for him to get up and going. He's only been down seven or eight days now. I would expect a bullpen from him this weekend, too, and get him going shortly after that. He won't need as much ramping up as the other guys because he goes shorter stints."