First-year Mariners manager Scott Servais had a decision to make.
It was the end of the seventh inning, the Mariners nursing a one-run lead Sunday against the A’s, and his ace, Felix Hernandez, had just walked off the mound having thrown his 99th pitch to record his 10th strikeout.
Here was Servais’ dilemma: Does he send Hernandez, who had retired 10 straight, out for the eighth inning and push his pitch count? Or does he turn it over to the bullpen and limit Hernandez’s heavy workload early in another season?
After a discussion with his staff and Hernandez, Servais opted to take Hernandez out.