‘He’s a talented guy.’ Mariners take a chance on Keon Broxton to help depleted outfield
August isn’t here yet, but the Seattle Mariners are now just two players away from tying their single-season club record for players used.
Outfielder Keon Broxton, acquired off waivers from the Orioles last week, reported to the team ahead of Tuesday night’s series opener against Texas, and was immediately placed in the starting lineup.
“I like playing guys as soon as they get here,” Mariners manager Scott Servais told reporters in Arlington. “Get them in, get them acclimated, make them feel like they’re a part of the team.”
The team, though, has taken many different shapes already due in part to sending 20 different players to the injured list this season, and there are still two months left to play.
Broxton, who started in center field, is already the 59th player to appear for the Mariners this season. The club’s single-season record is 61 players, set in 2017. He is also the 38th player to make his Mariners debut in 2019, as they continue to audition new players on almost a weekly basis.
The 29-year-old outfielder was designated for assignment by Baltimore on July 21 after hitting just .204/.261/.350 in 37 games with three doubles, four homers, nine RBIs, four stolen bases and eight walks to 49 strikeouts.
Broxton started the season with the New York Mets, playing just 34 games before he was designated for assignment. His numbers were worse there, and he recorded just seven hits in 53 plate appearances.
He’s in the second season of an offensive skid after a breakout year in 2017, when he had 20 homers and stole 21 bases in 143 games with the Brewers.
“I want to give him every opportunity to get it going,” Servais said. “I think he’s worked with some different people on his swing, like a lot of these guys have, but (hitting coach) Tim Laker is a little curious to get around him, and hear some of his thoughts and what he’s been working on.”
Though, as much as the Mariners hope Broxton’s bat comes around, the primary reason for acquiring him was to boost a depleted outfield that is missing Mitch Haniger (ruptured testicle) and Braden Bishop (lacerated spleen) and Domingo Santana (elbow soreness), who is now appearing solely as a designated hitter.
Broxton has committed just two errors during his past 134 games in the outfield — dating back to 2017 — with the Brewers, Mets and Orioles. His addition moves Seattle’s regular center fielder Mallex Smith to right.
“He’s a talented guy,” Servais said of Broxton. “He’s a really good athlete. He’s a very good center fielder. We’ll give it a shot. We’re light in the outfield right now.”
RUMORS, BUT NO TRADES
With Wednesday afternoon’s trade deadline looming, the Mariners had still only moved one player about an hour before game time Tuesday. (Utility player Kristopher Negron was sent to the Dodgers for minor league infielder Daniel Castro late Sunday.)
Mike Leake, who was Tuesday’s scheduled starter, Santana, and reliever Roenis Elias are still being mentioned as possible trade pieces.
“I’m looking forward to it being over,” Servais said of the deadline. “I don’t know if there’s a manager that doesn’t look forward to it being over. There’s just so much speculation. … It will calm all clubhouses, not just ours (when it’s over).
“At the end of the day, the core of your team is going to remain the same in most cases, so we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.”
MILESTONE WATCH
▪ Third baseman Kyle Seager, who in his ninth season has been with the club longer than any other position player on the roster, now has the fifth-most hits in club history with 1,164. He also had an active seven-game hitting streak entering Tuesday.
He passed Alvin Davis (1,163) with his RBI double Sunday afternoon in Seattle’s win over Detroit. He now trails only Ichiro Suzuki (2,542), Edgar Martinez (2,247), Ken Griffey Jr. (1,843) and Jay Buhner (1,255) on the list.
Seager needs seven more homers this season to pass Alex Rodriguez (fourth, 189) on Seattle’s all-time list, and is already in the Mariners top five, or nearing it, in several more offensive categories.
▪ Smith entered Tuesday with 99 career steals, including 27 in 88 games this season — which ranks second in the majors behind Kansas City’s Adalberto Mondesi (31). Smith will become the 15th player in history to record his 100th steal with the Mariners when he swipes his next bag.
▪ Thanks in part to Seattle’s recent five-game winning streak, Servais entered Tuesday suddenly within one win of his 300th with the Mariners. Following the weekend, he was 299-296 as Seattle’s manager, dating back to 2016. Only Lou Piniella (840 in 10 seasons) has more wins as the Mariners’ skipper.
INJURY UPDATES
▪ Brandon Brennan (shoulder) has now made six minor league rehab appearances — including five with Triple-A Tacoma — and could be activated “any time,” Servais told reporters ahead of Tuesday’s game.
The Mariners held him back from an earlier return to have him focus on adjusting his release points, and getting the ball to the bottom of the strike zone more consistently. He’s struck out four across his past two appearances.
“The last couple of outings have been better,” Servais said. “Mechanically he’s doing the things we hoped he would.”
▪ Dee Gordon (quad strain) is projected to join the Mariners in Houston later this week to work out before beginning a short rehab assignment.
