Christian Bergman isn’t necessarily pitching Sunday to hold his spot in the Mariners’ rotation. That already seems a long shot with Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma poised to return next week from the disabled list.
Bergman might be pitching to hold his spot on the big-league roster.
The Mariners, barring something unexpected, must clear two spots in their rotation, and the likely casualties are Bergman and rookie Sam Gaviglio, who were each plugged into the unit last month when injuries created openings.
Bergman and Gaviglio each have options, which means they can be sent to the minors and, if desired, brought back at any point.