Cody Martin has long odds to make Mariners, but even longer patience

Spring numbers are spring numbers, but … the spring numbers say right-hander Cody Martin has been the Mariners’ best pitcher. Five scoreless appearances covering 9 2/3 innings. Just four hits, two walks and 13 strikeouts.

It hasn’t gone unnoticed.

“That’s why we value him and what he brings,” manager Scott Servais said. “The ability to throw strikes all of the time and move it around.”

And yet …

Martin has virtually no chance to break camp with the big-league club. He knows this better than anyone. He knew this coming into camp. He knew this when the Mariners designated him for assignment in January to clear roster space.

Understand the Mariners spent much of the winter bolstering their organizational pitching depth, and that Martin was the most-reliable starter last year at Triple-A Tacoma and was summoned on four occasions for big-league duty.

“Last year was really good,” he said, “and I had a great time. Then I got DFA’d, cleared (waivers) and outrighted (back to Tacoma). It is what it is. It’s a business. Things happen.”

Martin insisted he isn’t upset or bitter or even exasperated.

“That doesn’t mean I won’t be back up this year,” he said. “I’m not going to look at it as a bad thing. I’m happy to be here. I’m kind of glad that I didn’t get shipped off somewhere because I’ve made some good relationships here.

“I was really excited to come into spring with what we have. I think I can earn my way back to the big leagues just as easy as anybody else.”

Martin, 27, wasn’t always so sanguine.

A seventh-round pick by the Braves in 2011, he once raged at the injustice of seeing pitchers promoted simply because they threw harder or were high draft picks essentially on scholarship because of the organization’s investment.

“Early on in my career in the minor leagues,” Martin admitted, “I was getting mad about that. It was like, ‘Man, I’m putting up better numbers than this guy, and he’s getting promoted.’ I got stuck in that mind-set for a while.”

After finally working his way up to the majors, Martin was traded in 2015 to the Athletics for international bonus-slot money and immediately sent down to Triple-A Nashville. He had a 5.10 ERA in 11 starts and, when finally promoted by Oakland, gave up nine runs over six innings in three late-season appearances.

It was a disaster and, to Martin’s thinking, one that was mostly self-inflicted. The Athletics designated him for assignment shortly after the season, and the Mariners acquired him in an Oct. 19 waiver claim.

“You learn from that stuff,” Martin said. “Everybody learns. Everybody has to go through something. So I’m not going to worry about it (this spring) if I make the team or if there’s even a way to make the team or if I’m going to get called up.

“I’ve just got to take care of what I’m doing now and hope for the best.”

DIAZ AT WBC

Servais confirmed Tuesday that closer Edwin Diaz has the club’s permission to pitch Wednesday night for Puerto Rico, if needed, in the championship game of the World Baseball Classic at Dodger Stadium.

Puerto Rico will play either the United States or Japan in the title game.

While neither Servais nor general manager Jerry Dipoto would address whether any restrictions were placed on Diaz, it’s unlikely he will pitch more than one inning in the championship game.

The question regarding Diaz’s availability stemmed from the fact he worked two innings Monday in the semifinals when Puerto Rico beat The Netherlands 4-3 in 11 innings.

Diaz struck out the side in the 10th inning and worked around the tiebreaker rule in the 11th inning, which started with runners on first and second.

“It should be a big benefit for him,” Servais said. “I thought he made some big pitches (Monday) night. You watch what he did and how he responded — you have to experience that. Hopefully, we’ll benefit from that quite a bit down the road.”

MINOR OUTINGS

Lefty Drew Smyly labored through 90 pitches while recording just 12 outs Tuesday in a minor-league game against El Paso, the Triple-A affiliate for the San Diego Padres.

“He working on some change-ups, cutters and stuff,” pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. said. “He was not using as many curveballs as he typically would. For me, the curveball and the high fastball kind of play off each other.”

The Mariners chose to have Smyly start a minor-league game rather than face Oakland, an American League West opponent. Tuesday’s outing also amounted to a significant emotional drop.

Smyly’s previous start came for the United States against Venezuela, and teammate Felix Hernandez, in the WBC. Smyly allowed just one unearned run in that game over 4 2/3 innings while striking out eight.

Right-hander Yovani Gallardo faces a similar challenge Wednesday when he will pitch in a minor-league game to avoid facing the Los Angeles Angels, another division opponent.

This story was originally published March 21, 2017 at 5:37 PM with the headline "Cody Martin has long odds to make Mariners, but even longer patience."