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Mariners use MLB-record 65th player of season

Stephen Brashear / Getty Images Sport / Getty

It might be time to consider installing revolving doors in T-Mobile Park's clubhouse.

The Seattle Mariners set a major-league record Tuesday after fielding their 65th different player this season, according to Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times. Donnie Walton put his name in the history books as No. 65 by entering the contest to play shortstop in the ninth inning.

The previous record belonged to the 2014 Texas Rangers, who used 64 players. Kyle Lewis, one of Seattle's top prospects, started the game to become the record-tying player.

This has been a season of change for the 59-86 Mariners, who started out the year red-hot only to quickly fall to the bottom of the AL West. More than half of their Opening Day starting nine from March 20 in Tokyo is no longer on their active roster. Players from that game who are now gone include legendary veteran Ichiro Suzuki (retired), sluggers Jay Bruce and Edwin Encarnacion (traded), and shortstop Tim Beckham (suspended for PEDs).

Just six Mariners position players have appeared in over 100 games for them this year, with DH Daniel Vogelbach (131 games) leading the pack. On the pitching side, only Marco Gonzales has made 30 starts (Yusei Kikuchi, at 29, will soon join him), while their two leaders in games pitched - relievers Cory Gearrin (48) and Roenis Elias (44) - are now in other organizations.

Nineteen different players, including Walton and Lewis, made their major-league debuts in a Mariners uniform this season. The two rookies brought the Mariners' total number of position players used this season to 27, along with 38 different pitchers.

Seattle is likely to field at least 67 total players this season, assuming two more September call-ups, Art Warren and Justin Dunn, get into a game.

The Mariners used 13 position players and five pitchers Tuesday, and they all contributed to a 4-3 win over the visiting Cincinnati Reds.

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