Peoria, AZ (SportsNetwork.com) - 2013 All-Star Hisashi Iwakuma and prized prospect Taijuan Walker were among three pitchers placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday as the Seattle Mariners pared their Opening Day roster down to the 25-man limit.
Both moves, as well as the placement of reliever Stephen Pryor on the DL, were fully expected, as none of the three pitched in a major league game during spring training. All are retroactive to Mar. 21.
Iwakuma, who finished third in voting for last year's American League Cy Young Award, strained a tendon in his right middle finger in mid-February that pushed back his throwing schedule. The Japanese veteran has been cleared to begin a full throwing program, however, and is set to return in late April or early May barring any setbacks.
Walker, recently rated the No. 6 overall prospect by MLB.com, has been battling a sore shoulder for part of the spring and is also expected to rejoin the rotation around a month into the season.
Pryor is still in the process of recovering from surgery performed last August to repair a torn lat muscle, but has been pitching in minor league "B" games.
[SportsNetwork.com]
