Haniger returns: All-Star outfielder back with Mariners after three-month injury hiatus
Mitch Haniger wasn’t in Sacramento on Friday night, rehabbing with the Triple-A Rainiers in a road series with the River Cats.
Instead, he was on a plane – on his way to join the Mariners for his first major league game action since April 29.
In the days leading up to the 31-year-old’s return to Seattle, manager Scott Servais was persistent in his claim – that Haniger, an All-Star in 2018, would tell the organization when he was ready to return from a right high ankle sprain suffered at LoanDepot Park in Miami.
“(Mitch will) let us know when he’s ready to go,” Servais repeated twice Friday at T-Mobile.
But unknown to Servais, Haniger had approached Rainiers manager Tim Federowicz before Tacoma’s game in Sacramento on Friday night. He appeared in eight games with Triple-A Tacoma throughout his rehab assignment, and another three with High-A Everett the week before.
It was time for Haniger to rejoin the big league team.
“He (told me), ‘hey, I’m gonna be heading back to meet the team,” Federowicz said Saturday. “Guys like that (are) easy to manage.
“Because they manage themselves.”
Haniger hit third in Seattle’s lineup for Game 2 of Saturday’s split doubleheader with the Angels at T-Mobile Park. In nine April games earlier this year, he’s slashing .200/.222/.486 with three homers and seven RBI, but is a career .262 in 482 total games with the Mariners dating back to 2017.
Haniger wanted to build up defensive innings in the outfield for Triple-A Tacoma last week before declaring himself ready to go, he said Saturday night. His swing and timing “felt really good” across the last two weeks, and Haniger pivoted to focus on defensive stamina and playing multiple consecutive days in Seattle’s outfield.
His injury in April actually came on his first at-bat upon return from the coronavirus injured list, which kept the outfielder sidelined for another 11 games. He played in only one game at T-Mobile Park earlier this year, which was Seattle’s home-opening 11-1 win over Houston on April 15.
Federowicz told The News Tribune that Haniger, after his first pair of games with Triple-A Tacoma last week, looked a lot better than he expected amid the recovery process. Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto told Mike Salk of Seattle Sports last week that Haniger could, at the earliest, return for Seattle’s 4-3 loss on Friday night.
Haniger’s actual return date came only a day later.
In 2021, Haniger set career highs in home runs (39), drove in an even 100 runs, and scored 110 himself. Last September alone, he hit 10 home runs with 27 RBI.
Many in attendance at T-Mobile Park gave Haniger a standing ovation as the outfielder stepped into the batter’s box in the first inning. He grounded out to shortstop in his first major league at-bat in over three months, and walked on six pitches in the fourth.
“I knew that I was trying to target, if everything went really well, the New York (Yankees) series coming up,” Haniger said, regarding his return. “I was hoping to get back a couple games before that, and was able to do that.”
In the sixth, Haniger struck out swinging. He doubled with two outs in the eighth, dropping a ball just beneath the glove of Angels center fielder Mickey Moniak.
He’ll be day-to-day as Seattle continues their season, and Servais will check in with the outfielder nightly for updates on Haniger’s injury that will determine whether he’ll be in the next game’s lineup. Servais expects Haniger will be good to go, given his extended rehab stint with High-A Everett and Triple-A Tacoma.
“I thought he looked great,” Servais said Saturday night. “He looked like Mitch Haniger, which is good to see.”
To make room for Haniger on Seattle’s roster, infielder Abraham Toro was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma.
Toro, 25, is slashing .180/.239/.322 and appeared at four positions – plus designated hitter – on Seattle’s defense across 84 games in 2022.
“It’s great to have (Mitch) back,” Servais said after Saturday night’s game. “It’s been a long time.”
This story was originally published August 6, 2022 at 6:33 PM.
