Right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma will begin his rookie season as a reliever, Seattle Mariners manager Eric Wedge announced Wednesday.
"We are going to have Iwakuma in the bullpen and he is going to serve as our long guy as well as middle relief," Wedge said.
"Quite frankly, I think that's the best way to transition him this year, with the history he had last year with health, introducing him to this (major league) game and helping him initially get off to a good start.
"I think this is a young man that is getting stronger and really working hard, and as we break camp I feel like this is the best role for him."
Iwakuma, who won the Pacific League MVP and Sawamura Award for his 21-4 season with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles in 2008, was sidelined for part of 2011 with pain in his throwing shoulder.