SEATTLE -- Mariners utility man Dylan Moore is used to trying to find playing time wherever he can get it, but that became an even bigger challenge earlier this month when he was confined to a Seattle hotel room after testing positive for COVID-19.

Moore, who was finally cleared to rejoin Mariners camp late last week, said Monday that he was surprised he’d tested positive and that he felt fine the entire time, so he did what he could by swinging a bat and doing exercises in his room.

Before being cleared to return, players who have tested positive must have two negative tests at least 24 hours apart.

“It was definitely frustrating,” Moore said. “I was asymptomatic, which was a blessing for sure. But just waiting for those two negative tests to come back, time went a little slower for me. I was just trying to keep my mind off of it and do as much as I could in the hotel room … some dry swings and some stuff where I just moved everything out of the way and did some pushups and tried to stay as sharp as I could with what I had.”

The 27-year-old is trying to make up for lost time in a hurry and has swung the bat well in his initial intrasquad outings while playing second and third base. The Mariners open the season on Friday in Houston, and Moore is competing with Tim Lopes, José Marmolejos and Sam Haggerty for the final utility roles on the initial 30-man roster.

“There are only [four] days left,” he said. “I know I have to get it going. I’m working hard on creating more consistent contact and having more room for error in my swing, more contact points and stuff like that. It’s worked so far, just getting my feet under me a little more and creating a little less swing-and-miss. So far, it’s been good. I just want to keep that going.”

Altavilla stayed ready during shutdown
One of the most impressive relievers in Summer Camp has been right-hander Dan Altavilla. The 27-year-old said Monday that he stayed sharp over the COVID-19 shutdown by working out with a number of big league players back home in Pittsburgh.

Altavilla said he practiced regularly with hitters Neil Walker, Andrew McCutchen, Josh Bell, Derek Law and others, as well as former Mariners teammate David Phelps, who is now a reliever with the Brewers.

“Just staying on that competition level, guys were pushing each other,” he said. “We started slow, just playing catch and throwing bullpens. But as we got closer, we started getting live at-bats and simulated innings. It was really beneficial.”

The work apparently paid off, as Altavilla has been consistently throwing his fastball in the high-90s and showing a harder, sharper slider that has proven particularly effective.

“After September last year and into my bullpens this offseason, I went from more of a sweeping slider and took more of a fastball mentality with it,” Altavilla said. “I’m starting to see consistency with it. There’s not a big velo difference and it's staying 88-93 [mph]. It’s been really good, and I’m just looking to stay right there with it.”

Altavilla is out of Minor League options and knows this is a big year, with a chance to pitch in late-inning situations if he continues performing well as the season gets underway.

“Everyone in our clubhouse has a bunch of opportunity and room to work,” he said. “I think we’re all excited to get going.”

Julio on the mend
While Julio Rodriguez is supposed to be shut down from baseball activity for four to six weeks after suffering a hairline fracture in his left wrist last Wednesday, Mariners manager Scott Servais said that the 19-year-old outfielder is already back in the batting cage taking one-handed swings.

“He said, ‘I can still hit with one hand,’ so he’s going to try to stay in shape the best he can and stay busy,” Servais said. “A guy like him, with so much energy, he needs to have something to distract him a little bit. But he’s fun to have around.”

Servais said that the club remains hopeful of getting Rodriguez playing time in the Dominican Winter League this offseason.

Kikuchi sharper in final intrasquad start
Yusei Kikuchi, who’ll start the Mariners’ third regular season game against the Astros on Sunday, allowed two hits and two runs (one earned) in four innings in his second and final intrasquad outing on Monday night at T-Mobile Park.

The 29-year-old southpaw breezed through three scoreless frames before allowing two singles -- one on an infield roller to third -- and a walk to load the bases. Kikuchi then mishandled a comebacker by Noelvi Marte and threw into the runner at first as two runs scored.

Servais was pleased to see Kikuchi’s fastball reaching 96 mph, and his offspeed location improved from his previous outing. On Monday, Kikuchi threw about 55 pitches with two walks and three strikeouts.

“I thought he threw the ball pretty well. His stuff was really good and the velocity was up there,” Servais said. “Hopefully he can build on that. All the guys so far -- Marco [Gonzales], Taijuan [Walker] and Yusei should be good to go. If things go well, I hope to get them through five innings their first time out.”

Short takes from T-Mobile Park
• George Kirby and Emerson Hancock, the Mariners’ first-round Draft picks in 2019 and ’20, respectively, have yet to throw in intrasquad contests and likely won’t compete in games until they head to Tacoma with the extra pool of players when the regular season begins. Servais said the two weren’t as far along in their offseason throwing programs as the other young pitchers in camp, so “there is absolutely no reason to risk injury or push those guys out there, even though they would love to go out there and pitch.”

• Haggerty, who is competing for one of the final utility spots, lined out to first in his first-inning at-bat and then was taken out of Monday’s game. Servais said that Haggerty is dealing with a hip issue, but he doesn’t believe it’s anything serious.

• Kendall Graveman will make his final intrasquad start on Tuesday night, with rookies Justus Sheffield and Justin Dunn scheduled to throw Wednesday before the team flies to Houston on Thursday.

• Tuesday’s game will be broadcast live on 710 ESPN Seattle and streamed on the Mariners’ YouTube channel, while Wednesday’s contest will be televised on ROOT Sports and carried on 710 ESPN Seattle as well. The remaining intrasquad games start at 6:10 p.m. PT, which is the same time as Friday’s Opening Day game against the Astros.