SEATTLE -- Mariners lefty Marco Gonzales, who has struggled in his past four outings after a strong first four months of the season, was placed on the 10-day disabled list Monday, retroactive to Friday, with a cervical muscle strain in his neck.
Gonzales was scheduled to start Wednesday afternoon's game against the Padres in San Diego. No announcement has been made yet on his replacement. The club recalled outfielder Guillermo Heredia from Triple-A Tacoma to take Gonzales's spot on the 25-man roster for Tuesday's series opener against the Padres.
Gonzales will be eligible to come off the DL when the club returns home against the Orioles on Sept. 3.
With an off-day on Monday, the Mariners could start Erasmo Ramirez on his normal four days' rest in place of Gonzales, as Ramirez last faced the D-backs on Friday, but there are some other options.
The Mariners have been going with an extra starter the past two weeks, with Roenis Elias making a spot start to give Gonzales some extra rest before his last start and also having moved Felix Hernandez back into the rotation after a one-game stint in the bullpen.
James Paxton is ready to come off the 10-day DL, but the initial plan was to have him return during the A's series that starts Thursday in Oakland.
Gonzales has been one of Seattle's rotation bright spots this year, going 12-9 with a 4.32 ERA in 25 starts after making the club initially as the fifth starter. The 26-year-old has 128 strikeouts and 28 walks in 145 2/3 innings over 25 starts, but he is 0-4 with a 10.35 ERA in his past four outings. He allowed 11 hits and eight runs in three innings in a 10-7 loss to the Astros in his last start.
Heredia provides an extra position player for Tuesday's Interleague game after being optioned to Tacoma on Aug. 19. He's hit .188 (3-for-16) with two RBIs and two stolen bases in five games since being sent down.
The 27-year-old Heredia has batted .217 with four home runs and 14 RBIs in 263 at-bats over 105 games in two prior stints with Seattle this year and is regarded as the club's best defensive outfielder.