The Mariners were just 2 1/2 games out of first place as recently as last Tuesday, but have dropped five straight to fall 7 1/2 back in the American League West. It’s probably safe to call them sellers at this point, but their most valuable trade chip isn’t ready to get back on the mound.
Erik Bedard was placed on the disabled list with a sprained left knee at the end of June. It appeared to be a minor injury at the time, especially considering his past arm issues, but Mariners manager Eric Wedge told Larry LaRue of the Tacoma News Tribune yesterday that the left-hander will need to miss at least one more start following the All-Star break.
This means that Bedard will have a maximum of two starts before the trade deadline to prove he’s healthy. And that’s assuming he’ll be ready to start during a series against the Red Sox from July 22-24. Yes, the Mariners could still deal him in August, but it’s a bit more complicated and they’d be less likely to get something significant in return.
Bedard didn’t throw a pitch in the majors in 2010, but has a 3.00 ERA and 1.11 WHIP across 15 starts this season. He has an excellent 85/26 K/BB ratio over 90 innings of work.