Mariners third baseman Alex Liddi and pitcher Blake Beavan were seen shaking hands with teammates postgame Tuesday after being told they were bound for Class AAA.

Left fielder Mike Carp and relief pitcher Stephen Pryor — who injured his groin late in the game — likely will head to the 15-day disabled list.

In exchange, the team is expected to call up Franklin Gutierrez, who hasn't played this year since tearing a pectoral muscle in late February in spring training and then suffering a bout with plantar fasciitis in his heel.

The Mariners also will recall pitcher Erasmo Ramirez, who is expected to start Thursday in place of Kevin Millwood.

The team will then likely push Millwood — nursing his own sore groin — back a couple of days to start in Beavan's spot Saturday.

In addition, the Mariners are expected to recall Casper Wells to serve as a solid outfield backup and right-handed hitting option.

They will also need a bullpen arm to replace Pryor.

Beavan needs to do a better job of getting ahead of hitters and making all of his pitches sharper, Mariners manager Eric Wedge said before the game.

"With Blake, it all starts with his fastball command," Wedge said. "That's what really led him to the success he's had up here. Throwing his fastball where he wants to, and being confident with it and moving it around accordingly, depending on the hitter.

"You'd still like to see his secondary stuff continue to get better, get more consistent," Wedge said. "Whether it be for a strike, or out of the zone with two strikes."

Said Beavan, before his demotion was announced: "I've got to stop worrying about all the stuff that I can't control and focus on the positives and the things I can control."

NOTES

• Tim Lincecum, the two-time Cy Young Award-winner for the Giants out of the University of Washington and Liberty High, has been struggling mightily this season with a 2-7 record and a 6.00 earned-run average, but the Giants said Tuesday they have no plans to rest the right-hander or send him to the bullpen. His next schedule start is Saturday at Safeco Field.

• Carp still is being bothered by the shoulder he sprained diving for a ball in the season opener in Japan. Carp spent a month on the disabled list and is hitting just .157. "He's been feeling that a little bit more," said Wedge, "so we're taking a good look at that right now."

• The Mariners had second-round draft choice Joe DeCarlo, 18, a shortstop/third baseman out of Garnet Valley High School in Pennsylvania, at Safeco Field on Tuesday for a tour of the ballpark.

DeCarlo, the 64th overall selection, also got to see some of the city before an expected signing with the club. Seattle also was said to have an agreement with their third-round choice, left-handed pitcher Tyler Pike.

Geoff Baker: 206-464-8286 or gbaker@seattletimes.com.

On Twitter @gbakermariners