Scribner, Cook slowed by sore shoulders

PEORIA, Ariz. -- The Mariners' bullpen depth has gotten a little thinner, at least in the short term, as veteran right-handers Evan Scribner and Ryan Cook have been sidelined by sore lat muscles in the back of their throwing shoulders.
Cook, a 28-year-old who struggled with the A's and Red Sox last year after being one of the American League's better middle relievers from 2012-14 for Oakland, hasn't thrown since pitching a scoreless inning in Seattle's Cactus League opener last Wednesday. He signed a one-year deal that will pay $1.1 million if he's on the Major League roster, or $300,000 if he's in the Minors.
• Mariners Spring Training info
Scribner, 30, was acquired in a trade from the A's in December. He missed last September with a torn right lat muscle, but spent the offseason rehabbing the injury and came to camp at full-go. But Scribner experienced some soreness in that area after throwing a live batting practice last Wednesday, so the Mariners are being cautious with him and will have his shoulder checked by a doctor on Tuesday.
"He's been a little sore with a shoulder/lat issue," manager Scott Servais said. "He's going to be behind based on what I've been told from our medical people. Hopefully we can get him up and going. But he's going to be behind.
"Same thing with Ryan as well. Both guys have very similar injuries to where they are at right now. As far as the timeline, I don't have that yet. But they're going to be behind everyone else."
The Mariners added a group of middle-relief candidates in the offseason, as well as new closer Steve Cishek and setup man Joaquin Benoit. They still have newcomers Justin De Fratus, Cody Martin, Joel Peralta and Jonathan Aro as well as returnees Tony Zych and Mayckol Guaipe among those competing for the other three right-handed spots in the bullpen.
Worth noting
• Left-handed reliever Charlie Furbush  has been brought along slowly after missing the last three months of 2015 with shoulder issues, but he threw 25 pitches to Minor Leaguers Austin Cousino and Braden Bishop in his second live batting practice this spring on Monday and said everything felt good. He could be ready for game action later this week.
"I'm just trying to stay on the program, be smart about everything and put myself in positon to be ready for Opening Day," said Furbush, who figures as the Mariners' lefty setup man when he's at full strength.
• The Mariners' first televised game this spring will be Wednesday against the Royals in a 12:10 p.m. PT contest at Peoria Stadium, with Taijuan Walker on the mound.