Mariners roster moves: Saucedo lands on injured list, Hancock optioned to Tacoma

MINNEAPOLIS — The Mariners made a pair of expected roster moves before Wednesday’s game at Target Field.

Left-handed pitcher Tayler Saucedo was placed on the 15-day injured list with a hyperextended right knee, and right-handed pitcher Emerson Hancock was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma.

To fill their spots, Seattle selected the minor-league contract of veteran lefty Kirby Snead and reinstated right-hander Eduard Bazardo from the 15-day injured list. To make room on the 40-man roster for Snead, right-hander Matt Brash was transferred from the 15-day to the 60-day injured list.

Saucedo suffered the knee injury during Tuesday’s 10-6 victory over the Twins. As he tried to cover first base on a play, he stepped awkwardly and the knee bent backward.

“The initial findings I saw were that it’s not as serious as maybe we were afraid it may be,” manager Scott Servais said pregame. “We’ll see. We’ll know more here in the next probably four or five days with how he bounces back.”

With right-hander Bryan Woo ready to rejoin the rotation on the upcoming homestand, the Mariners optioned Hancock back to Tacoma after Tuesday’s game, which he started. The move gives Seattle an extra reliever until they reinstate Woo from the 15-day injured list on his start day.

“We have to decide where we’ll slot Woo in, and then we’ll announce that to you when we feel it’s appropriate,” Servais said.

It’s likely that Woo will start Friday or Saturday against the A’s. It would give at least four of the starters an extra day of rest as the team is in the early stages of a stretch of 30 games over 31 days.

Hancock, 23, posted a 3-3 record with a 5.24 ERA in seven MLB starts. Three of those outings were quality starts.

The former first-round pick will fly to Reno and join the Rainiers rotation.

“I thought he did a great job for us, stepping in when he did,” Servais said. “He had some really good outings. Emerson’s at his best, in my opinion, when he’s working really quick and he’s in control of the count. When he gets behind in the count, it’s tougher to get through lineups.”

Servais wants Hancock to continue to develop his breaking ball, which they are trying to make more like a slider with more break. He also has to develop a plan of attack against left-handed hitters.

“I explained to him that most times in the big leagues when he’s out there, there are going to be six left-handed hitters in the opposing lineup,” Servais said. “Sometimes it might be seven. Getting those guys out once through the lineup, he’s certainly got the weapons to do that. But now you’ve got to get them out a second time through the lineup. And the third time, as we know, is always a challenge.”

Snead, 29, has made 12 appearance with Tacoma, posting a 2.92 ERA. In 12 1/3 innings pitched, he struck out 13 batters with two walks. He has appeared in 68 MLB games over parts of the last three seasons. He has a 5.20 ERA in 64 innings pitched.

Snead became the 1,000th player to appear for the Mariners in franchise history when he entered Wednesday’s game in the sixth inning. He pitched a scoreless inning with one strikeout.

“He’s throwing the ball really well,” Servais said before Wednesday’s game. “We liked some things we saw in spring training. The big thing with him, as [with] a lot of guys that come to our organization, they just get bombarded with the ‘dominate the zone’ and win the 0-0’s and 1-1’s. [For] some guys, that clicks and they really takes off. You saw what it did for Gabe Speier. I think Kirby is one of those guys as well.”

He and Saucedo were teammates on the Blue Jays and are close friends. Saucedo helped convince Snead to sign with Seattle as a minor-league free agent, selling him on the Mariners’ “pitching lab” and how much they helped him.

“Talking to some people and talking to Sauce about just being over here and how much he enjoyed it and obviously how well he’s done and how much they’ve helped him, I think it was an easy choice when I got the chance,” Snead said. “Just happy to be up here now and just try to contribute as best I can.”