Morrison day to day with sore hamstring

ARLINGTON -- Logan Morrison wasn't in the Mariners' lineup Tuesday because Seattle was facing a left-handed starter in Robbie Ross, but the right fielder would have been unlikely to play anyway after his right hamstring tightened up just prior to Monday's first pitch.

"In an emergency, yeah, he might play," manager Lloyd McClendon said prior to Tuesday's game. "Right now they're telling me it's day to day. But we'll see how it is again tomorrow."

Morrison was in the starting lineup in Monday's series opener against the Rangers, but had to be replaced in right field in the bottom of the first inning by Michael Saunders even though he never came to the plate in the top of the inning.

McClendon said he had no idea Morrison was having any problems, which is why the change wasn't made until after Mariners leadoff hitter Abraham Almonte came to bat in the first inning when Morrison was already officially entered in the lineup.

"He was not iffy before the game. That was the problem," McClendon said. "If he was iffy before the game, I'd have never burned him and we'd have had an extra player. It literally happened when he came in from getting loose and Almonte was stepping in the box. That's when I was informed. It was tough."

Rookie Stefen Romero got the start Tuesday against Ross as McClendon continued playing the right-left matchups, with Saunders again available as a defensive replacement.

Morrison, acquired from the Marlins in December, has hit .150 (3-for-20) in eight games.