Mariners' James Pazos: Strong over inning-plus Friday

Pazos fired 1.1 scoreless innings in a 3-1 loss to the Athletics on Friday, giving up a hit and a walk while striking out two.

Analysis:

After a forgettable outing against the Astros on April 11 in which he failed to get an out and gave up a pair of earned runs, Pazos has bounced back with three straight scoreless appearances encompassing 2.2 innings. The stumble against Houston has actually been his only misstep of the season, as the former Yankees prospect has otherwise not given up a run in seven other trips to the mound. With a fastball that hits 96 mph on the gun, Pazos has been a viable late-inning option for manager Scott Servais thus far, and one that the latter has shown a willingness to afford plenty of work.