Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto announced today the following roster moves.
· Felix Hernandez, RHP, returned from rehab assignment and activated from 10-day disabled list.
· Andrew Moore, RHP, optioned to AAA Tacoma.
Hernandez (#34) will be tonight's starting pitcher in tonight's 7:10 pm game vs. the Houston Astros at Safeco Field.
Hernandez, 31, was 2-0 with a 4.15 ERA (6 ER, 13.0 IP) with 16 strikeouts in 3 rehab starts with AAA Tacoma. He was placed on the disabled list on April 26 with right-shoulder inflammation after leaving his start on April 25 at Detroit after just 2.0 innings. In his first 5 starts of the season before the injury, he was 2-2 with a 4.73 ERA (14 ER, 26.2 IP) with 22 strikeouts and just 3 walks to open the season.
Hernandez was on the 10-day disabled list, June 1 (retroactive to May 28)-July 20, 2016 with a right calf strain, his first trip to the DL since 2008. In parts of 13 Major League seasons with the Mariners, he is 156-111 with a 3.18 ERA (862 ER, 2442.1 IP) with 2286 strikeouts and 698 walks in 364 career starts. Hernandez is the Mariners all-time career leader in wins (156), starts (364), quality starts (242), innings pitched (2442.1) and strikeouts (2286). The native of Valencia, Venezuela, originally signed with the Mariners as a non-drafted free agent on July 4, 2002.
Moore, 23, made his Major League debut last night, getting the win against Detroit with 7.0 innings of work. Prior to his promotion to the Majors, he was 4-3 with a 2.72 ERA (25 ER, 82.2 IP) with 77 strikeouts in 14 games, including 13 starts with AAA Tacoma and AA Arkansas this season. He began the season with Arkansas where he was 1-2 with a 2.08 ERA (8 ER, 34.2 IP) with 33 strikeouts in 6 games (5 starts) before being promoted to Tacoma. With the Rainiers, he was 3-1 with a 3.19 ERA (17 ER, 48.0 IP) with 44 strikeouts in 8 starts. In his 13 starts, has limited opponents to 2 runs or less in 9 games, and 3 runs or less in 11 of 13 starts. After his 2016 season, he received the Jamie Moyer Minor League Pitcher of the Year Award by the Seattle Mariners after going 12-4 with a 2.65 ERA (48 ER, 163.0 IP) in 29 starts between High-A Bakersfield and A Jackson.
In three minor league seasons in the Seattle organization (2015-17), he has combined to go 17-8 with a 2.59 ERA (82 ER, 284.2 IP) with 253 strikeouts in 56 games, including 49 starts. He was selected by Seattle in the 2nd round (72nd overall) of the 2015 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Oregon State University after his junior season. During his collegiate career, he was 27-9 with a 2.10 ERA (81 ER, 347.2 IP) with 251 strikeouts in 51 games, including 48 starts. Moore is a Northwest native from Eugene, OR (North Eugene High School). He was named the Oregon High School Pitcher of the Year as a sophomore and junior, and a 5A State Player of the Year as a senior.