MINNEAPOLIS — Yovani Gallardo isn’t just pitching to get wins for himself and the Mariners. He’s also pitching for his spot on the team.
It may seem impossible to believe that Seattle’s starting rotation is getting healthy enough that decision-makers could think about removing an experienced pitcher from its 40-man roster. But with Felix Hernandez expected to return to the rotation sometime on the upcoming homestand and Hisashi Iwakuma possibly returning soon after, the Mariners will reach a point where they ask themselves do they move forward with Gallardo, who hasn’t been as productive as hoped, or stay with Christian Bergman or Sam Gaviglio in the rotation until Drew Smyly’s return.