Erik Bedard placed on disabled list by Mariners

The Mariners today placed Erik Bedard on the 15-day disabled list and indicated that knuckleballer R.A. Dickey will take Bedard's turn Friday in Anaheim against the Angels.

Bedard, 29, has inflammation in his left hip that has caused him to be scratched from his scheduled start Sunday against the Angels at Safeco Field. He had also been scratched the previous Sunday in Baltimore with the same injury, but came back to pitch two days later in Tampa Bay.

His placement on the DL is retroactive to April 9, the day after he pitched against the Rays. He will be eligible to come off on April 24.

"We have said consistently that we were not going to rush Erik back," Mariners manager John McLaren said. "At this point, we thought it made the most sense to go ahead and place him on the DL. It should not change when he's available to make his next start, and gives us the ability to add another player in the meantime."

The Mariners won't announce the roster addition until Wednesday, they said. Brandon Morrow, pitching at Class AA West Tennessee, is a possible candidate.

Before the DL announcement was made, Bedard spoke briefly with the media for the first time since he missed the start.

He said he feels better each day, and that they're going "day by day" on his regimen.

"I can't say if I'm going to throw a bullpen Friday or Saturday," he said. "We'll go day by day and see how it goes."

Asked if he was encouraged by the progress of his injury, he said, "It's always encouraging when it's getting better."

Asked if he was concerned that this injury was going to drag on, he said, "We'll see after my next start if it hurts still. Then maybe it will be something that drags on."

And if that's the case, "I think rest is probably the only thing" that will help, he said.

Comparing how it feels now to how his hip felt in Baltimore last week when he was scratched the first time, he said, "I think it's better."