Sam Haggerty’s flip because the Mariners’ beginning first baseman lasted all of 1 sport. As anticipated, Ty France, the Mariners’ common beginning first baseman, was again within the beginning lineup after a one-game absence.
France was hit within the left hand by a 97-mph fastball from A’s reliever Trevor Might in Tuesday evening’s win. When it first occurred, it seemed like France had been struck on the left wrist or the bony a part of his hand.
The ball hit France on the surface a part of the fatty pad on his palm, which helped defend any bones from breaking.
“He got here in yesterday and I believe after he get executed swinging the bat and performing some issues like if we have been within the playoffs yesterday, he would have performed it,” Servais stated. “That’s one approach to put it. We’re not within the playoffs and we’ve received plenty of season forward of us. I do assume we dodged a bullet as a result of that would have been actually dangerous. Anytime you get hit on the hand that flush, it may be not good. Fortunately, it hit him in a fatty a part of the hand and he’s in there tonight. Is he 100%? I don’t learn about that. Solely he is aware of, however he’s ok to play and we would like them in there.”
No participant is 100% at this level within the season.
For Haggerty, it meant one other evening on the bench ready for an opportunity to play.
A 12 months in the past, he reached cult hero standing with the fan base. With a face of a high-school child and the velocity of a observe star, he was the Mariners’ most important antagonist of their “chaos ball” type of play, turning into a menace on the bases. He made issues occur on the bases and within the discipline together with his ridiculous athleticism.
He grew right into a set function late within the season, beginning most video games within the outfield when opponents began a left-handed pitcher and showing as a defensive substitute late in video games. In 79 plate appearances vs. left-handed hitters, he posted a .364/.449/.652 slash line with 5 doubles, a triple, 4 homers, 12 RBI, 10 walks and 19 strikeouts.
However the enjoying time hasn’t been there this season. With an odd roster composition popping out of spring coaching due to the damage to Dylan Moore, the current emergence of Jose Caballero, AJ Pollock signed to be the right-handed hitting outfielder and the success of Jarred Kelenic in opposition to lefties, Haggerty has performed sporadically. He additionally missed every week due to a concussion suffered whereas diving for a ball within the infield.
He’s performed in 20 video games this season, beginning simply 9. In 42 plate appearances, he’s had six hits with two doubles, two RBI, 5 walks and 10 strikeouts.
Filling in for France, he had an enormous two-run double to spark a five-run inning for Seattle. The road drive had a 108-mph exit velocity, which was the toughest hit ball of his profession.
Previous to getting the beginning, he’d had a complete of six plate appearances since Might 10 — a span of 12 video games.
“It’s troublesome as a result of baseball is a sport of rhythm and movement and hitting particularly,” he stated. “Seeing the ball and controlling the strike zone, it’s undoubtedly a lot simpler should you play. But it surely doesn’t give me any excuse to not be capable to have aggressive at-bats. You simply do as a lot work as you may within the cage with the Trajekt (pitching machine) and keep locked in so when the chance comes, you attempt to capitalize.”
Servais is aware of that Haggerty has misplaced anticipated enjoying time however nonetheless trusts him to be ready.
“It’s a credit score to him,” Servais stated. “He’s able to go it doesn’t matter what you want. He’s all the time pondering the sport even when he’s not within the beginning lineup.”
Moore, who has but to play this season due to offseason core surgical procedure and an indirect pressure in spring coaching, restarted a rehab project with Triple-A Tacoma. He may very well be prepared to come back off the injured record within the subsequent 10 days.
There’s a probability that Haggerty, who has minor league choices, is the odd man out within the logjam of bench gamers when Moore returns. The Mariners’ reasoning may very well be the possibility to get him common at-bats and enjoying time that he isn’t getting now. It will additionally permit him to proceed to work on his infield protection, one thing that has held him again from extra prolonged enjoying time.
Whereas Kolten Wong has struggled within the first two months of the season and has misplaced his beginning to job to Caballero, he’s a left-handed hitter, which supplies some steadiness to the roster. Wong can be owed $10 million this season so the Mariners may not be fast to designate him for project, hoping to get some return on the funding.
Notes
- Pollock left Wednesday’s sport due to cramping in his legs after stealing second base. He additionally beat out an infield single earlier within the sport. He stated he was high-quality and able to go earlier than Thursday’s sport.
- Eugenio Suarez left Wednesday’s sport within the sixth inning with a sore ankle. He was struck by a foul ball off the bat of Julio Rodriguez whereas within the on-deck circle. Suarez had a nasty bruise, however was again within the beginning lineup on Thursday.
