ARLINGTON -- Suspended Mariners infielder Robinson Cano went 1-for-4 with a run scored as designated hitter in his second Minor League outing for Triple-A Tacoma on Tuesday, and now will have a day off before reporting to Class A Short Season Everett.
Cano is expected to play four games for Everett from Thursday through Sunday and then fly to Oakland, where he'll be eligible to rejoin the Mariners on Tuesday in their second-to-last game on this 10-game road trip.
Cano has been serving an 80-game suspension since May 15 after testing positive for furosemide, a diuretic that is on the banned substance list because it's often used to mask performance-enhancing drugs.
Suspended players are able to play Minor League games for the final 14 days to prepare for their return to the Majors, and Cano is using his time to regain his timing at the plate and work on some new defensive positions.
He went 2-for-7 with two singles and a walk in his two games with Tacoma.
With Dee Gordon now entrenched at Cano's former second-base position, the eight-time American League All-Star played first base in his first Minor League game on Monday and will likely see time at second and third base later this week.
"The hardest thing is switching positions in the middle of the season, especially a position you've never played before," Cano told reporters in Tacoma after Tuesday's game. "But like I've said, it's not about Robinson Cano. It's about the team and how I can get up there and help them to win and make it to the playoffs."
The Mariners are expected to have Cano in the lineup every day; he'll split time at first base with Ryon Healy and also rotate around to give occasional days off to Gordon, third baseman Kyle Seager and designated hitter Nelson Cruz.
"We'll be creative," said Mariners manager Scott Servais. "I don't have a magic formula drawn up yet. We're just looking at different options and we'll deal with it when he gets here."
Cano said he hasn't been told what his defensive plans will be at Everett, but Servais indicated it will be to continue providing a test run at various infield spots.
"He'll move around as the week keeps going," Servais said. "The big thing is [to] get his timing at the plate, get his at-bats, get some comfort at first and some of the other spots."
Cano said he felt good physically on Tuesday and that his timing at the plate was getting better. His single was an opposite-field shot, which he said is a good sign.
"That's what I'm focused on. I've been playing a long time and I just want to get my inside-out swing good," he said. "I'm just working on getting my timing. I have to get ready for when I get up there and jump in right away and help the team."
Worth noting
• All-Star shortstop Jean Segura was not in the lineup Tuesday against the Rangers after posting a .218/.248/.294 slash line over his last 30 games. Servais said the 28-year-old's timing has just been late at the plate in recent games.
"He's been struggling a little," Servais said. "Sometimes you just need to recharge and regroup. He's trying some different things, it just hasn't worked. He'll be real aggressive some at-bats and then back off some at-bats. But he can really hit. We've seen it here for a long time. He's just in one of those funks right now."
• Catcher Mike Zunino also had Tuesday off, but he was coming off a three-hit day with a home run. For Zunino, it was simply a matter of a planned rest day so he can catch Wednesday afternoon's series finale.
• Wednesday's series finale against the Rangers will be a Facebook Live broadcast with Rich Waltz, Ryan Rowland-Smith, David Hulse and Stephen Nelson calling the game. The game will be available on the Mariners radio network and MLB.TV.
• Longtime Mariners coach Daren Brown, who is currently in his second year as the manager of the Double-A Arkansas club, has been selected to manage the Peoria Javelinas in the upcoming Arizona Fall League.