Mariners send Sadzeck to IL, recall Moore

SEATTLE -- Mariners reliever Connor Sadzeck will likely be sidelined at least a couple weeks by soreness in the flexor mass in his right elbow, manager Scott Servais said Tuesday.

Sadzeck went on the 10-day injured list, opening a spot for right-hander Andrew Moore, who was recalled from Double-A Arkansas to start Tuesday night’s game against the Astros.

Moore will make the start in place of Yusei Kikuchi, who is being skipped this turn to take a break after two rough outings. Kikuchi is expected to rejoin the rotation this weekend when the Mariners are in Anaheim.

The 25-year-old Moore already was on Seattle’s 40-man roster after being claimed off waivers from the Giants on May 17. He pitched twice for Arkansas, posting a 3.09 ERA with 14 strikeouts and no walks in 11 2/3 innings.

Moore pitched in both the Rays and Giants’ Minor League organizations earlier this year. He was a second-round Draft choice of the Mariners in 2015 out of Oregon State and went 1-5 with a 5.34 ERA in 11 games (nine starts) in ’17 for Seattle before being traded to the Rays along with right-hander Tommy Romero for Denard Span and Alex Colome in May 2018.

Sadzeck has pitched well out of the bullpen for Seattle since being acquired from the Rangers on April 1, posting a 2.66 ERA with one save in 20 games. But Servais said the elbow clearly became an issue Sunday when Sadzeck gave up two runs on two hits and two walks while getting just one out in a 13-3 loss to the Angels.

“The ball certainly wasn’t coming out like it typically does for him in the last outing,” Servais said. “The ball was all over the place and he was struggling to command it. We’re going to have to monitor him closely and hopefully get him back in a few weeks.”

Worth noting

? Chasen Bradford, another Mariners reliever who just went on the 10-day injured list on Monday with a right forearm strain, was having an MRI on Tuesday to determine the severity of his situation. The 29-year-old has a 4.86 ERA in 12 appearances this season and threw two innings in Sunday’s loss.

? Reinforcements could be on the way for the Mariners’ infield. Shortstop J.P. Crawford’s sprained left ankle is rapidly improving and he could begin a Minor League rehab stint this weekend. Second baseman Dee Gordon (bruised wrist) and first baseman Ryon Healy (lower back issue) both took batting practice on Tuesday and also could be in position to rejoin the team in the middle of its upcoming 10-game road trip.