Soriano leaves early with because of strained muscle

• Recommend0
• Tweet0
• Comments0
• Email
• Print

• Recommend0
• Tweet0
• Comments0
• Email
• Print
• Subscribe

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Seattle Mariners reliever Rafael Soriano winced and dropped into a crouch after throwing a pitch Monday. Moments later, he propped a hand on his left side and walked into the clubhouse.

Soriano strained a muscle on the left side of his abdomen about halfway through an eight-minute throwing session. The extent of the injury wasn't immediately known, and was to be re-evaluated Tuesday.

"I'll be all right, maybe in a couple of days," Soriano said. "I'll have to see the trainer again tomorrow before I know more."

The injury didn't appear serious, but coaches cut short Soriano's workout to ensure it wouldn't worsen. The hard-throwing right-hander is expected to be a key member of the bullpen this season.

"Better now, really, than later on," manager Bob Melvin said. "He's a guy who's been throwing more than anyone else. He pitched a lot in winter ball and he's probably a little farther along than most guys."

The 24-year-old Soriano, with a fastball in the upper 90s, started last season at Triple-A Tacoma, grooming a changeup and slider. The Mariners planned to have him available as insurance in case of an injury to a starter.

By midsummer, however, he was needed in the bullpen. Soriano delivered in that role, going 3-0 with a 1.53 ERA. He was the AL's rookie of the month in August after going 2-0 with a 1.62 ERA in 12 appearances.

After that performance, he won't leave the bullpen, and that suits Soriano.

"I like being in the bullpen," he said. "I feel more comfortable there now. I think that's where I can help the team, so that's what I'll do."

Melvin compares Soriano, with his fluid windup and dominant fastball, to New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera.

"He's got an easygoing motion, then the ball just jumps on you," Melvin said. "You saw good fastball hitters last year knowing the fastball was coming and still not getting a good jump on it."

Soriano had a strong offseason in winter ball, posting a 0.21 ERA in eight appearances for Escondido in his native Dominican Republic. He allowed only one earned run in 42 1-3 innings.

"You see good hitters," Soriano said. "I worked on my pitches. Everything went good. It helped me get ready to help the team this year."

Earlier this month, Soriano started and threw into the eighth inning in the Caribbean Series championship game. He allowed only one hit through seven innings, helping the Dominican Republican to a 4-3 win over Puerto Rico.

Now that Soriano is earning a major league paycheck as a reliever, Melvin said a seven-inning game as a starter "gets my attention." Soriano insisted nothing was going to keep him off the mound in the final.

"I wanted that game," Soriano said.

Game notes
LHP Terry Mulholland was excused after a death in the family. ... Rain forced workouts into covered batting cages. Similar weather made the Mariners adapt last year. "Before that, I don't remember rain in February for four or five years," Melvin said. "This is more like Florida than Arizona."

This story is from ESPN.com's automated news wire. Wire index

• Recommend0
• Tweet0
• Email
• Subscribe
• Print
• Comments0