Nelson Cruz, Ketel Marte back in lineup for Mariners (plus other notes)

A few pregame notes from Seattle Mariners manager Scott Servais before Sunday’s 1:10 p.m. game against the Houston Astros ...

--- Outfielder Nelson Cruz (foot) and shortstop Ketel Marte (ankle) are each back in the lineup after each sat out of Saturday’s game with minor injuries.

Marte sprained his right ankle while sliding into third base during Friday’s game, and Cruz fouled a ball off his left foot the same day.

Servais said Cruz will wear a pad on his foot from now on, “and hopefully he doesn’t do it again.”

“They both came in today, they both felt good enough to play and run around, especially Nelly in the outfield,” Servais said. “I was probably more concerned about that. But he feels good about where he’s at. So that’s who we’ll go with.”

--- Catcher Chris Iannetta will sit out for the second consecutive game. Servais said he simply wants to give Iannetta, who had been struggling in the weeks preceding the All-Star break, a chance to clear his mind.

“I know he’s working on a couple things with (hitting coach) Edgar (Martinez), and just wanted to give him an extra day to clear his mind and go from there,” Servais said. “He got a little fatigued at the end of the first half. I thought the four days would help. More of a mental break than anything, just kind of slow it down, the weight of the world is not on your shoulders every day. Just relax, go play, get back to doing what he’s capable of doing. That’s the only reason. He’ll be in there tomorrow.”

--- Reports on left-handed reliever Charlie Furbush’s second rehab outing in Tacoma were better than his first, Servais said, partially because he “didn’t get hit by a line drive in the middle of the back, so that’s always a positive.” Furbush worked a clean seventh inning in Tacoma’s 7-2 victory over Colorado Springs and had two strikeouts.

--- Seth Smith will bat in the leadoff spot for the Mariners on Sunday. It’s his first time batting leadoff this season.

“I don’t think it really matters where Smitty hits,” Servais said. “He does what he does, does a good job getting on base, and that’s what you want at the top of the lineup, guys who get on base. So we’ll mix it up for the day.”

This story was originally published July 17, 2016 at 12:19 PM with the headline "Nelson Cruz, Ketel Marte back in lineup for Mariners (plus other notes)."