Miguel Batista has started and relieved this year, whatever the Mariners needed.
But he hasn't been effective, and after giving up eight runs in 2 2/3 innings Wednesday in an 8-2 loss against the Mets, he hinted that his health issues might force him to the disabled list. Batista has back problems, which is not good news for a team that is having its pitchers specialize in back problems. Brandon Morrow pitched in relief Wednesday for the first time in a week after being sidelined by back spasms, and Erik Bedard is getting closer to being able to return to the rotation after back spasms of his own.
Batista is 3-10 with a 6.53 ERA.
"I can throw through this," Batista said, "but throwing is not pitching. This is embarrassing, because I'm supposed to be helping the team win, but I'm not helping,"
METS 8, MARINERS 2: RHP Miguel Batista's return to the starting rotation was anything but grand.
Batista, who had served as the closer with RHP J.J. Putz on the disabled list and RHP Brandon Morrow suffering from back spasms, had not started since June 7, and he looked out of place, giving up five hits, five walks and eight runs (four earned) before being pulled in the third inning.
The Mariners offense was no help when Batista was in the game, but after CF Jeremy Reed singled to break up RHP John Maine's no-hit bid leading off the fifth, Seattle stacked up four hits in the inning to score a couple of runs.
The loss ended a two-game winning streak for Seattle, which hasn't won three in a row since mid-April.
