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SEATTLE -- Seattle Mariners right-hander Julio Mateo will miss the rest of the season after breaking his left hand before Monday's game against the Los Angeles Angels.

Mateo

While lifting weights in the Mariners clubhouse, Mateo had a 35-pound weight slip and pin his hand between the weight and the rack. He broke the fourth metacarpal and was placed on the 60-day disabled list. Mateo's hand will be placed into a splint for the next few days and be put into a permanent cast on Friday.

"He's a big part of the reason the bullpen has pitched as well as it has this season," manager Mike Hargrove said. "When he's pitched, he's pitched when the game has been on the line and in tough situations."

Mateo, was 9-4 with a 4.19 ERA in 48 appearances, often was Hargrove's first choice when starters came out of games. He regularly set up either righty Rafael Soriano or lefty George Sherrill to pitch the eighth, before turning it over to closer J.J. Putz in the ninth.

Mateo entered Monday leading major league relievers in wins and had not allowed a run in 10 games. The 29-year-old has spent his entire career with the Seattle organization.

Seattle purchased the contract of Jon Huber from Triple-A Tacoma and Huber was in uniform for Monday's game. The 25-year-old right-hander split this season between Double-A San Antonio and Tacoma. He was 3-1 with 12 saves with Tacoma and had 11 saves at San Antonio.

Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press