Like clockwork, the Mariners subbed out their long reliever prior to Saturday’s game at Texas by recalling right-hander Rob Whalen from Triple-A Tacoma after optioning lefty Zac Curtis back to Double-A Arkansas.
Curtis pitched three innings in Friday’s 10-4 loss to Texas in the series opener, which effectively leaves him unavailable for the remainder of the series.
Whalen, 23, is up for his third big-league tour — May 6 and May 24-28. He started May 27 at Boston and gave up five runs in 5 1/3 innings in a 6-0 loss to the Red Sox.
Curtis, 24, spent just one day in the big leagues following his Friday recall from the Travelers as a replacement for Chase De Jong, who pitched four innings Thursday in a 6-2 loss at Minnesota.