Erasmo Ramirez, who is out of options and competing for the fifth spot in the rotation, is not being considered for a bullpen job, the Seattle Times reports.

Ramirez, who is out of options and competing for the fifth spot in the rotation, is not being considered for a bullpen job, the Seattle Times reports.

Analysis:

That means if Ramirez doesn't beat out Taijuan Walker and Erasmo Ramirez for the rotation, he will be designated for assignment and likely picked up by another team. Whether the Mariners actually stick to that, manager Lloyd McClendon said, "That's a question for my general manager." If the Mariners kept him as the long reliever in the bullpen, they'd probably have to sacrifice a middle-relief lefty. McClendon went with an eight-man bullpen for part of last season, but it's unlikely he'd open this season like that because it would leave him with only a three-man bench and Rickie Weeks as the only infield backup.