Mariners place RHP Hisashi Iwakuma on 15-day disabled list

SEATTLE, WA -- Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President & General Manager of Baseball Operations Jack Zduriencik announced the following roster moves prior to tonight's game vs. the Minnesota Twins:

• Hisashi Iwakuma, RHP, placed on 15-day disabled list with a right lat strain (retro to 4/21)
• Lucas Luetge, LHP, recalled from AAA Tacoma

Luetge (#44) will be in uniform for tonight's game vs. the Twins.

Iwakuma's placement on the 15-day disabled list is retroactive to April 21. He will be eligible to return on May 6. A replacement for Iwakuma as Sunday's starting pitcher is to be determined.

Iwakuma, 34, is 0-1, 6.61 in 3 starts with Seattle this season (16.1 IP, 12 ER). He last pitched April 20 vs. Houston, leaving the game in the sixth inning with a 5-3 lead. His final line was 5.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO and 2 home runs allowed. For the season, he has allowed 5 homers in 16.1 innings pitched. Opposing hitters boast a .308 batting average against, after Iwakuma limited hitters to a combined mark of .235 in his first three seasons (2012-2014).

Iwakuma finished the 2014 season 15-9, with a 3.52 earned run average. He made 28 starts despite missing all of April on the disabled list with a torn tendon in his right index finger.

Luetge, 28, is 0-0 with a 3.24 ERA (3 ER, 8.1 IP) in 5 relief appearances with AAA Tacoma. He appeared in 12 games over 5 separate stints with Seattle in 2014, including 8 appearances in September. Overall he allowed 5 earned runs, while walking 5 and striking out 7 in 9.0 innings with the Mariners. Luetge spent the majority of last season with the Rainiers, going 3-2 with 3 saves and a 3.13 ERA (23 ER, 62.1 IP) in 42 games.

In three Major League seasons with Seattle, Luetge is 3-5 with a 4.47 ERA (47 ER, 86.2 IP) in 110 relief appearances. In his career he has limited left-handers to a .211 (32x152) average, while walking 17 and striking out 39.