Mariners takeaways: Seattle returns some key contributors from IL; Haniger exits early
Consistent with weeks past, the Mariners made several more roster swaps during the course of their long road trip, which wrapped up Sunday in Cleveland.
The club continues to lead the majors in players used, and became the first to pass 50 this past week, but the series of moves the Mariners made the past seven days have — for the most part — given some reason for optimism.
While key contributors like center fielder Kyle Lewis and first baseman Evan White remain on the injured list, and right fielder Mitch Haniger exited Sunday’s finale in Cleveland with a left knee contusion, many of the Seattle players who have missed time early on this season on the injured list or COVID-19 injured list have returned to the clubhouse.
Here’s a rundown of some of the significant roster moves Mariners have made in the past week:
▪ The Mariners stayed busy on their off day Monday before beginning a six-game swing in Detroit and Cleveland.
They optioned top prospect Jarred Kelenic to Triple-A Tacoma for a breather after a tough first month in the majors at the plate, and transferred utility player Sam Haggerty (shoulder) to the 60-day injured list.
But, they also reinstated Shed Long Jr., who spent nine months on the IL recovering from a stress fracture in his right shin. Long, who was Seattle’s Opening Day second baseman in 2020, was sidelined by the injury in September, underwent surgery, and spent the months since recovering.
“It’s just a blessing to be back, man,” Long told reporters on a video call last week. “It was a long journey.”
Long said he expected to be back on the field sooner, but had to be patient with the recovery process.
“It’s good to be back up to speed, and to be able to be back and be with the guys, and come and contribute to what we’ve got going on here,” he said.
Long spent a week with the Rainiers before returning to Seattle, and hit .323/.417/.516 with eight runs scored, three doubles, a home run, two RBI, five walks and five strikeouts.
In four games with the Mariners this season, he is 2-for-16 with a double, walk and two strikeouts.
Long has appeared in three games at second base and played left field in Sunday’s finale with Dylan Moore back from the IL to resume his regular role at second.
▪ The Mariners added more versatility Thursday when they picked up Jake Bauers from Cleveland in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations.
“He fits right in with our group,” Servais said last week. “Age-wise and experience-wise, he’s a young player that we like and we think he’s got a chance to grow with us, so we’ll give him opportunity and see what he does with it.”
The 25-year-old, who has now played more than 150 games at first base in his big league career, gives the Mariners another option at first base while Evan White remains on the IL with a hip flexor strain. Bauers also has significant experience in left field.
“He’s a natural first baseman … but he has played the outfield as well,” Servais said. “He’s got a good throwing arm. He’s a good defender.”
Bauers, who adds another left-handed bat to Seattle’s lineup, is 4-for-15 with a double, two RBI, two walks and three strikeouts in his first four appearances with the Mariners.
He was drafted in the seventh round by the Padres in 2013 out of California’s Marina High School, and was considered a top-100 prospect by Baseball America entering both the 2017 (No. 70) and 2018 (No. 45) seasons.
Bauers has played parts of three seasons in the majors with Tampa Bay, Cleveland and now Seattle.
▪ Moore was activated Saturday, bringing more stability to Seattle’s lineup after spending nearly a month on the IL with a left calf strain.
In his first game back with the club, he resumed his regular role at second base, and finished 2-for-4 with a double, home run, two RBI, a walk, two strikeouts and a stolen base.
“He can help you win games in a lot of different ways,” Servais said pregame Sunday. “Defensively, on the bases, he’s got power, so it was great to see him get off to that kind of start.”
Moore added another hit in Sunday’s win over Cleveland, finishing 1-for-5. He played in three rehab games with the Rainiers before he was reinstated, and was 5-for-11 with three doubles and a home run.
▪ Kendall Graveman, who has been perhaps Seattle’s most reliable bullpen option early on, was activated Friday and pitched an inning Saturday against Cleveland after missing 25 games while on the COVID-19 injured list.
Graveman faced four batters, allowing one run — a solo homer by Cesar Hernandez — on two hits. He threw 17 pitches in his first appearance since May 16. The homer to Hernandez was the first run Graveman has allowed this season.
“We’ll continue to get him out there and build him up,” Servais said postgame. “But it’s great to have him back.”
Graveman appeared in relief again Sunday for the Mariners, allowing one run on one hit while striking out one and walking one.
He has a 1-0 record, a 0.96 ERA and five saves through 16 appearances.
▪ As expected, after missing one turn with shoulder inflammation, starting pitcher Justin Dunn was activated from the IL on Friday and returned to the Mariners’ rotation.
He tossed three innings in a loss to Cleveland, allowing five runs on nine hits while striking out three and walking two. Dunn has a 1-3 record and 3.91 ERA through 10 starts this spring.
▪ Mariners starter Yusei Kikuchi was hit in the right knee by a sharp comebacker last week in Anaheim, forcing an early exit, but progressed well through the week, was not placed on the IL and pitched his scheduled turn Saturday in Cleveland.
Kikuchi turned in one of his best starts of the season, allowing only three hits across seven scoreless frames and striking out six while walking three. The outing dropped Kikuchi’s season ERA to a rotation-best 3.67. He did not record a decision — the Mariners eventually dropped a third consecutive loss in extra innings — keeping his record at 3-3.
HANIGER EXITS EARLY
Haniger made an early exit in Sunday’s series finale in Cleveland.
In his first at-bat, Haniger fouled a fastball from Shane Bieber off his left knee, dropped to the ground, and left the game moments later with assistance from Mariners staff as he returned to the dugout.
The club later said Haniger left the game with a knee contusion, and Servais said postgame Haniger had X-rays, which revealed a deep bone bruise.
“He smoked it. He hit it pretty good,” Servais said. “I think more than anything when that happens and you hit it that hard right on your knee like that you get scared.”
Servais said the Mariners will continue to evaluate Haniger day-to-day.
Haniger, who missed more than 150 games during the 2019 and 2020 seasons with injuries, has been one of Seattle’s most consistent hitters since his return.
He entered Sunday’s game hitting .259/.310/.518 with 43 runs scored, 15 doubles, a triple, 16 home runs, 40 RBI and 19 walks to 64 strikeouts in 63 games.
His home run and RBI totals were both leading the club. His 16 home runs ranked tied for third in the American League entering the day.
KELENIC RETURNS TO TACOMA
Kelenic returned to the Rainiers lineup Tuesday following a month-long stint on Seattle’s roster.
He debuted with the Mariners on May 13, and announced his anticipated arrival loudly with three hits the following night, including barreling up a home run for his first hit.
But, he struggled to produce consistently at the plate in the weeks that followed, posting a .096/.185/.193 slash line with seven runs scored, two doubles, two home runs, three stolen bases and eight walks to 26 strikeouts in his 23 appearances.
“When you first get called up, there’s a lot of emotions, and there’s just a lot of things that I was trying to learn very quickly, and unfortunately it didn’t go the way I planned, or as anybody really planned,” Kelenic said after batting practice Tuesday afternoon in Tacoma.
“I’m not going to let it ruin me. I know what I’m capable of doing. I know everyone else knows what I’m capable of doing. So, I try to look at it as, it is what it is, it was a fluke and I’ll come down here, get where I need to be and I’ll be back.”
Kelenic was hitless in his past 39 at-bats, with 18 strikeouts during that span, when the Mariners optioned him to Tacoma following Sunday’s game in Anaheim, believing a trip back in Triple-A would give the talented young outfielder, who is considered the No. 4 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline, a chance to reset.
“We just want to take a moment and tap the brakes and give him a chance to just take a breather, and go do the things that he does so well,” Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said on a video call with reporters Tuesday morning.
“And I’m certain that he’s going to find himself quickly and be back in the big leagues in no time.”
MORE INJURY UPDATES
▪ White, who has been on the IL since May 14, was scratched from his first scheduled rehab appearance with Tacoma on Thursday, but debuted for the Rainiers on Friday with a three-run blast. He was 2-for-7 with the home run, three RBI, one walk, one strikeout and a stolen base through his first two rehab games with Tacoma.
▪ Lewis underwent minor surgery to repair his torn right meniscus last week, Servais told radio broadcaster Rick Rizzs during their daily pregame conversation Friday. Lewis, who is the reigning AL Rookie of the Year, has been on the IL since June 1.
The club has not given an update on a possible timetable for Lewis’ return, though Dipoto suggested earlier this month during his weekly radio segment with 710 ESPN Seattle he did not expect Lewis’ absence to be short.
“We want him to have a long career here in Seattle and to thrive, and my guess is that is going to result this time in a bit of prolonged absence,” Dipoto said during his segment. “I am hopeful that we’ll see him again this year on the field, but I don’t think it’s going to be quick.”
ON DECK
The Mariners (32-35) begin a nine-game homestand Monday with a three-game series against the Twins. Marco Gonzales is scheduled to start the homestand opener.
Seattle then hosts Tampa Bay for four games beginning Thursday before the Rockies come to town for a two-game set the following Tuesday.
This story was originally published June 14, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
