Brendan Donovan’s road back started Wednesday in the Arizona Complex League, and the first box score was a reminder that rehab assignments are about rust as much as results.
The Seattle Mariners utility man, sidelined for multiple months with a left groin strain, made his first game appearance for the ACL Mariners against the ACL Padres. He worked as the designated hitter and finished 0-for-3 with three strikeouts and a walk in an 8-2 loss.
Donovan has been out twice this season because of the same left groin issue tied to the sports hernia surgery he had last year with the Cardinals. He opened the year on the injured list from April 20-May 8, then landed back there again on May 17.
When he was available, Donovan gave Seattle real production. In 25 games, he hit .274/.386/.452 with an .838 OPS, along with four doubles, a triple, three home runs and eight RBIs.
The Mariners had originally expected Donovan to start his rehab assignment during the week of their final road trip before the All-Star Break, but the club chose to slow things down and wait.
That cautious approach fits what Seattle is likely to do from here as it works him back in gradually, including time in the field and the chance to prove he can handle consecutive games without a setback, much like the team handled Cal Raleigh during his oblique strain.
Donovan’s rehab comes as Seattle opens the second half Friday at 7:10 p.m. PT, hosting the San Francisco Giants in the first game of a six-game homestand at T-Mobile Park.
The Mariners enter the break at 48-49, 1.5 games behind the Texas Rangers in the American League West, while also tied with the Minnesota Twins for the final wild card spot in the American League. Injuries played a major role in the uneven first half, hitting both the bullpen and the position-player group.
In Other News...
Mariners Finally Got The Donovan Update This Lineup Needed
The Mariners finally got a meaningful step forward on the Donovan front, as the infielder began a rehab assignment with the clubs Arizona Complex League affiliate. He is easing back in as a designated hitter, a sign the team is starting the ramp-up process after a long stretch without one of the infield options it hoped to lean on.
Donovans absence has been felt in a lineup that has struggled to find enough offense, and Seattle has been waiting for some kind of jolt from a player acquired in February. Since arriving, he has been limited to 25 games, so even a rehab assignment carries added weight as the Mariners try to get him back into the mix and see how quickly he can move toward a return. [Read more 🡒]
New WBC Details Make Cal Raleigh's Slide Look Even Worse
Cal Raleighs season has already been a rough one by his standards, with the Mariners catcher sitting on a negative bWAR and lagging well behind the level he showed a year ago. The latest World Baseball Classic details only add another layer to the story, because Team USA manager Mark DeRosa said Raleighs swing was off during the tournament, a sign that the issues were not limited to his current slump in Seattle.
DeRosa said Raleigh was hooking balls, flying open with his front shoulder and rolling over the top hand, and the usage pattern told its own story as well. Raleigh went 0-for-9 and did not appear in the semifinal or final, while the WBC also brought a right oblique strain and a noisy handshake incident with Randy Arozarena into the picture, leaving one more reminder that his path through that event was anything but smooth. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Suddenly Have A Tough New Decision On Their Young Arms
A new benchmark for young pitching money has landed around the league, and it gives the Mariners another layer to think about as they weigh the future of their own arms. Cincinnatis agreement with Chase Burns is the kind of deal front offices notice immediately, especially in Seattle, where the rotation has been built around homegrown talent and the club has already shown a willingness to lock up key position players for the long haul.
Bryan Woo is the obvious name in that conversation, but he is hardly the only one. Seattle also has top prospects like Ryan Anderson pushing toward the majors, and the organization has to decide how aggressive it wants to be before those pitchers get expensive through the arbitration process. The Mariners have already made their comfort with extensions clear in other parts of the roster, but the pitching side is where the next big test may come, and the Burns deal only sharpens the clock. [Read more 🡒]