Brandon Donovan is back on the field, at least in a rehab setting, as he started an assignment Wednesday with Seattle’s Arizona Complex League affiliate and hit leadoff as the designated hitter.
It’s the latest step in a frustrating stretch for the infielder, who has been out for nearly two months with a left groin muscle strain. That injury has interrupted his first season in Seattle more than once and kept him from building any real momentum.
Donovan’s year with the Mariners has been short on volume since he arrived as the centerpiece of a three-team trade in February. He has appeared in only 25 games for his new club.
The first setback came on April 20, when he went on the injured list with the same left groin muscle strain and missed about three weeks before returning. Then, just 10 days after being activated, he was shut down again with the same issue.
When Donovan has been available, the production has been there. The 2025 All-Star is hitting .274/.386/.452 with eight extra-base hits in 101 plate appearances. And as he’s worked toward this rehab assignment, he’s also gotten help in recent workouts from Hall of Famer Ichiro Suzuki.
Seattle would love to get Donovan’s left-handed bat back in the mix soon. Since he went on the IL on May 16, the Mariners have ranked third worst in the Majors in on-base percentage at .300 and OPS at .677.
The Mariners reached the All-Star break at 48-49, sitting 1 1/2 games behind the Rangers in the AL West and tied for the third AL Wild Card spot. They also dropped five of their last six games before the break.
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