Wily Mo Peña joined his fifth major league team Saturday, and the Seattle Mainers were glad to have him and the potential production his bat brings – especially in light of losing first baseman Justin Smoak.
Smoak broke his nose and a bone in his left cheek when hit by a bad-hop grounder Friday, and was placed on the 15-day disabled list.
In his place, the Mariners will slide Peña, a right-handed power hitter, in the role of designated hitter and see what follows.
Peña, 29, has been through this before, having played for the Reds, Red Sox, Nationals and Diamondbacks. A veteran of 577 big-league games, Peña is a career .251 hitter with 82 home runs and 232 RBI.
“I really feel this is my best year. I’m getting old and I’m learning to hit,” Pena said. “I’m recognizing pitches better, earlier, and making more contact. I used to strike out or walk a lot. Now, I strike out less, have better at-bats.”
To make room on the 40-man roster for Peña, the Mariners designated left-hander Luke French for assignment, giving them 10 days to trade, release or outright the man who was the Tacoma Rainiers pitcher of the year in 2010.
What the Mariners have in Peña is one of the more fabled batting practice power hitters in memory – about a dozen Red Sox players lined the visitors dugout Saturday to watch Peña take his cuts.
He didn’t disappoint.
One of the balls he hit was to straightaway left field and landed three rows from the top of the upper deck. Another, hit to left-center field, nearly hit the flag pole.
“I saw him with Cincinnati and Boston and he has tremendous power. The ball looks different off his bat,” manager Eric Wedge said. “We will primarily use him in the DH role when he is in there. We still want to mix-and-match guys.
“With Smoak, I was hopeful it was just the nose, but it’s a little bit more than that. He’s got a fracture underneath the eye, too.”
SHORT HOPS
Jack Wilson returned to the lineup after three days off due to dehydration suffered in Texas on Wednesday. ... The Mariners appear poised to set a franchise record they’d just as soon avoid – one for walk-off losses. Seattle already has 10 of them this season, two short of the record set last year. ... Left-handed pitcher James Paxton continues to dominate minor league hitters. In 95 innings this season for the Single-A Clinton LumberKings and Double-A Jackson Generals, Paxton, a fourth-round pick in 2010, has struck out 131 batters. ... Adam Kennedy was given another night off to rest a bruised heel hurt as he legged out a triple in Texas. ... Rookie Charlie Furbush has been given a pitch count of 100 for today’s start, and Wedge said it’s unlikely he’d allow the lefty to throw many more than that at any point this season.
ON TAP
Seattle plays host to Boston in a 1:10 p.m. game today that will be televised on Root Sports. Probable starting pitchers: Boston’s Tim Wakefield (6-4, 4.92 ERA) vs. Seattle’s Charlie Furbush (2-4, 4.46).
larry.larue@thenewstribune.com
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