SEATTLE - Seattle Mariners left-hander Jarrod Washburn left his start against the Texas Rangers Monday night in the seventh inning with what the team said was a tight right calf.

Mariners manager John McLaren called the injury minor and said that trainers gave him indications Washburn should be able to make his next start Saturday against the Chicago White Sox. But Washburn wasn't so sure.

That's because the injury is in the same location as the calf strain that cost the veteran left-hander his final two starts of the 2006, his first in Seattle.

"It hurt pretty bad. Hopefully it's not as bad as a couple of years ago. It's in the same spot," he said. "We'll see."

Washburn (2-4) first felt the pain during warmups immediately before the game's first pitch, then told pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre to watch him closely to ensure he wasn't changing his mechanics and risking injury. After feeling what he called "a pop" on his last pitch of the sixth, Washburn gave up a single to Gerald Laird, a double to Michael Young and a two-run double to Milton Bradley.

Washburn left the game after a brief mound consultation between McLaren, Stottlemyre and an assistant trainer. He waved to the crowd just before disappearing into the clubhouse, the third time in two weeks a Mariners starter left a game because of injury.

"That's what he is. He's a competitor," McLaren said of Washburn bulling through the injury for his first home win in 11 months.

The Mariners went on to win 7-3.

Washburn, who had allowed six runs in his previous start last week at Cleveland, held the Rangers to one hit through the first six innings. He allowed three runs and four hits and struck out three before Sean Green replaced him.

Carlos Silva left a start on April 23 against Baltimore with tightness in his right thigh but returned to make his next start. Miguel Batista departed early in a start on April 25 with a groin pull, but also made his next start.

The Mariners also have an apparently minor injury to another key pitcher.

Closer J.J. Putz, an All-Star last season who has struggled lately with wildness and injury, threw before the game to test what McLaren called a skin abrasion on the index finger of his pitching hand. He passed that test, then allowed two hits in a scoreless but far from smooth ninth inning.

It was his first appearance since blowing his second save of the season Thursday at Cleveland.

He had two blown saves in 42 chances in all of last season. Putz was on the disabled list from April 2-22 with a ribcage injury.

"It was good to see the big guy out back out there," McLaren said. "He's still getting there."