Rookie outfielder Casper Wells came to the Seattle Mariners as part of the Doug Fister trade with Detroit, then hit home runs in four consecutive games at Safeco Field – the kind of thing that got everyone’s attention.
Then former Mariner and current Toronto Blue Jay Brandon Morrow hit Wells on the tip of his nose with a 97-mph fastball.
Wells has gone 4-for-27 since, with one home run and two RBI.
Is there a correlation? You bet.
“Today, I saw a lot of off-speed stuff, and my approach wasn’t very good,” Wells said of his effort Sunday, when he was 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts.
But overall?
“I’ve got to get back to basics,” he said. “My head is jumping all around up there.”
But that fastball at his face, has it had a lingering impact?
“I don’t want to use that as an excuse,” Wells said. “But it definitely took me out of my comfort zone. It’s something I’ve got to work on, keeping my head in there. That pitch is still on my mind, at times.”
Overall, Wells is batting .258 this season with 10 home runs and 26 RBI in 186 at-bats.
SMOAK UPDATE
Justin Smoak will begin a rehabilitation assignment with the Tacoma Rainiers tonight, and will likely play three or four games with them before returning to Seattle.
Smoak has been on the disabled list since breaking his nose and a small bone beneath one eye on Aug. 12. When he bats left-handed, his batting helmet will feature a protective bar.
“I’m not wearing a mask on the field when I play,” Smoak said.
He’s expected to play first base and perhaps designated hitter for the Rainiers.
SHORT HOPS
Ichiro Suzuki had two hits Sunday, extending his hitting streak to 11 games. He has 18 hits during that streak and is batting .367. ... Add streaks: rookie third baseman Kyle Seager had a hit, and has a career-best nine-game hitting streak during which he’s batted .500. ... Josh Bard’s home run was his second of the season, and first since July 4. He’s made 20 starts at catcher this season. ... Franklin Gutierrez has four multiple-hit games in his past five, raising his season average to .227. ... Add Ichiro: His current hitting streak is his 40th single-season, double-digit streak and ties him with Pete Rose for fifth on the all-time list. Ty Cobb has 65 such streaks. ... Mike Carp was given the day off, the first game he hasn’t started since July 21. Expect him back tonight.
ON TAP
Seattle hosts the Los Angeles Angels in the first game of a four-game series that will be televised on Root Sports. Probable starting pitchers: Former Mariner Joel Piñeiro (5-6, 5.37 ERA) vs. Seattle’s Blake Beavan (3-4, 4.14).
larry.larue@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/mariners
JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here
We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.