Felix on track for Sunday despite back issue

KANSAS CITY -- One day after being removed from his start against the Royals for precautionary reasons due to a lower back cramp, Mariners ace right-hander Felix Hernandez was still in line to make Sunday's start against the Rays on five days' rest.

Hernandez on Monday left on a hot day in the seventh inning after throwing 105 pitches in the Mariners' 3-1 loss.

"Felix is a little bit sore, a little bit stiff today," manager Eric Wedge said before Tuesday's game at Kauffman Stadium. "So, we will monitor that from day to day. It's the first day after and you figure he's going to feel that. We'll see how he feels the next couple of days and go from there."