Mariners' Erasmo Ramirez (shoudler) not expected to be ready for start of regular season

According Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times, Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Erasmo Ramirez is not expected to be ready in time for the start of the season.

What It Means:

Ramirez is roughly four weeks removed from a lat strain that's limited his offseason participation. He isn't scheduled to throw a bullpen session until the last week of spring, so it's unlikely that he makes his start the first time around. Ariel Miranda and Rob Whalen are the primary candidates to fill in.

Over 27 appearances, Ramirez went 5-6 with a 4.39 ERA and 109 strikeouts in 2017.