SEATTLE – The Seattle Mariners made a big decision Friday for Dan Wilson’s first game as team manager when it was announced that Julio Rodriguez will play center field for the first time since July 21.

It turned out that the Mariners had one more move to make before the first pitch against the San Francisco Giants.

Seattle recalled left-handed reliever Gabe Speier from the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers and, in a corresponding move, placed right-handed reliever Yimi Garcia on the 15-day injured list. Garcia’s placement on the IL was retroactive to August 20.

Speier was sent to Tacoma on July 30. He had previously spent over a month and a half on the injured list from June 1 to July 19 due to a rotator cuff strain in his throwing arm.

He has a 5.95 ERA with 26 strikeouts in 25 appearances this season.

Garcia was acquired from Seattle in a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays on July 26. He has played in 10 games for the Mariners since his signing. He was effective from the start, having six scoreless outings in seven games.

Since then, Garcia has struggled. In three appearances, he allowed four earned runs from four hits (two home runs) in two innings pitched.

Former Seattle manager Scott Servais said Garcia was dealing with a “wet arm” at the end of the trip, and the injury forced him to sit out the final two games of the series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Speier hasn’t always been at his best during his limited time with the Mariners this season. But with 34 games left in the season and a noticeable lack of left-handed pitchers (reliever Tayler Saucedo is the only other one on the roster), it definitely can’t hurt to add Speier back to the team.

DAN WILSON INTRODUCED AS MARINERS MANAGER: Former Seattle Mariners catcher, team Hall of Fame member and new team manager Dan Wilson spoke to the media before Friday’s game against the San Francisco Giants. CLICK HERE

RODRIGUEZ RETURNS TO THE OUTFIELD: Julio Rodriguez, cornerstone of the Seattle Mariners franchise, will play in the outfield for the first time since spraining his ankle on July 21 against the Houston Astros. CLICK HERE

MARINERS ARE PREPARED FOR TOUGH PITCHING BATTLES AGAINST THE GIANTS: The Seattle Mariners will play their first series in the Dan Wilson era against the San Francisco Giants starting Friday. The Mariners will see a familiar face on the mound. CLICK HERE

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