Mariners notebook: Shoulder inflammation reason for Danny Hultzen’s setback

Mariners pitching hopeful Danny Hultzen met with the team doctor Wednesday after suffering shoulder stiffness the day after his live BP session. There is no timetable for his return.

“It’s just a setback,” said Hultzen at his locker Thursday morning. “It’s obviously super frustrating.”

Related: Scott Servais looking for finished products as Mariners cuts approach

In his morning meeting with the media Servais said that Hultzen was weighing his options for what he wants to do moving forward. When we caught up with Hultzen, he said that was what his focus was. Moving forward.

“I’m doing everything I can,” he said. “That’s the way I am looking at it, I know I am doing everything can and whatever happens is going to happen. I’m not going to look back and say I wish I had done something else because I know am doing everything I can.”

Hultzen is dealing with inflammation in the shoulder which requires rest and anti-inflammatories.

“It felt really, really weak after,” he said. “I didn’t feel a pop or anything like that. There’s a lot of inflammation, we have to wait a few days for that to settle. We’ll see what happens the next few days but I am definitely getting better.”

Right where they should be

Bonneville Seattle Media Group and the Mariners announced this morning they have agreed to a multi-year contract extension with 710 ESPN Seattle to continue serving as the home of Mariners baseball. This will mark the 26th year the Mariners broadcast on 710 AM. They have been on 710 ESPN Seattle since the station’s transition to an all-sports format in 2009.

Lineup!

Nori Aoki, CF

Luis Sardinas, SS

Robinson Cano, 2B

Stefen Romero, LF

Adam Lind, 1B

Gaby Sanchez, DH

Seth Smith, RF

Ed Lucas, 3B

Steve Clevenger, C

Wade Miley, P

Aoki is making his second spring start in center. He didn’t see a lot of action in his first start but Servais said he looked comfortable out there…Adam Lind is back in the lineup after missing a few days out of precaution for his back, which caused him problems last spring training. Efren Navarro will replace him later in the game…Casey Coleman, Mayckol Guaipe, Blake Parker, Joaquin Benoit, David Rollins and Paul Fry are all scheduled to pitch Thursday vs. the Cubs.

Notes

• Charlie Furbush will throw one more live BP before he pitches in a Cactus League game. The Mariners will not rush him coming off last years shoulder troubles. “The ball’s coming out of his hand great,” Scott Servais said. “He’s maybe just not bouncing back as quick yet, which is very understandable. Our training people are not worried about it at all.”

• As players do not play every day in spring training, I was curious as to whether or not Franklin Gutierrez has been available every day. I asked the skipper about his status. “For the most part, yeah,” Servais answered. “We are monitoring him very closely. “You just got to touch base with him everyday and make sure he is in a good spot. There hasn’t been anything setting him back. There’s some days he feels better than others — like all of these guys, especially the veterans in there at this time of in the spring — but he’s in a good spot. Nothing holding him back.” Servais was noncommittal on putting Gutierrez in center some time this spring. The reason? The risk might not be worth it, or necessary for that matter, knowing he will need him right out of the gates. “It’s really important we have Franklin available as we go into Texas as they are going to run left-handed pitching at us,” he said.

• The Mariners will have their first split-squad games on Saturday, with one group traveling to Goodyear to take on the Reds, and the other staying at home to face the Dodgers. Bench coach Tim Bogar will manage the traveling team while Servais stays in Peoria. Of note, Mike Montgomery will be making his first start of the spring in the game against the Reds.