If somebody told first baseman Ji-Man Choi to “break a leg” before the Mariners’ Cactus-League opener Wednesday, they probably feel guilty right now.
Seattle was a routine ground-ball putout away from winning their Cactus League opener against the Padres when Choi jumped to snag a high throw from SS Tyler Smith.
Choi landed awkwardly and sustained a fractured right fibula — the tying run came around to score — before getting carted off the field. The Mariners won their 22nd annual charity game, 4-3, in 10 innings on a walk-off RBI single from Patrick Kivlehan that bounced past right fielder Rymer Liriano.
But Choi’s injury overshadowed what was otherwise a successful day for Seattle at Peoria Stadium.
“That’s a tough break,” manager Lloyd McClendon told MLB.com. “It was almost a little freakish. He went up and came down on the opposite foot and fractured his (lower leg). It’s a little tough. He just landed awkwardly.”
Choi, 23, wasn’t expected to make the Mariners out of spring training. The South Korea native spent of almost all last season at Triple-A Tacoma, where he had a .283/.381/.392 slash with five home runs and 30 RBIs in 70 games before receiving a 50-game suspension for testing positive for a performance enhancing substance.
Choi’s injury doesn’t help the Mariners’ depth at first base. They’re now down to the injury-prone Logan Morrison and a trimmed-down Jesus Montero, who went 2-for-2 Wednesday. It’s possible that veteran utility men Willie Bloomquist and Rickie Weeks could play some first, too.
The Mariners have more than a month to figure it out. They open the regular season April 6 against the Angels at Safeco Field.
Robinson Canó, Nelson Cruz, Kyle Seager and Logan Morrison, the No. 3-4-5-6 hitters in the lineup, combined to go 8-for-12 with a double, home run and three RBI to lead the Mariners to a 9-4 victory over the San Diego Padres Thursday afternoon in Cactus League play at Peoria Stadium.
Mariners’ big bats big
The No. 3-4-5-6 hitters in the lineup — Robinson Cano, Nelson Cruz, Kyle Seager and Logan Morrison, combined to go 8-for-12 with a double, home run and three RBI to as the Mariners won a second game over the Padres, this one 9-4 Thursday, at Peoria Stadium.
Cano and Cruz hit a pair of two-out singles in the bottom of the first, and Seager got the Mariners on the board with a run-scoring single. Cano doubled in his second at-bat and scored on a towering home run to left field by Cruz in the bottom of the third.
Minor league prospect Patrick Kivlehan continued his early strong showing, hitting a three-run home run in the eighth inning.
Starter Roenis Elias gave up three hits in two scoreless innings and right-hander Justin Germano earned the win, allowing two hits in 1.1 scoreless innings. (box score)
Linkage:
- The News Tribune had its game recap and a notebook on RHP Taijaun Walker’s strong start in his opening bid to make the Mariners’ rotation. The Seattle Times also had a write-up on Walker’s 2015 debut.
- Highly-regarded Mariners prospect D.J. Peterson had a nice start, homering in his first at-bat on a high fastball from San Diego LHP Jason Lane. He finished 1-for-5.
- Former Mariner Alex Rodriguez went 1-for-2 with a single and a walk in his first appearance following a 524-day absence because of an MLB suspension for repeatedly violating the league’s PED policy. Yankees fans met Rodriguez with a mixture of boos and cheers.
2 Comments
In the long run Montero might be the best option if he can get to the level on his hitting that he was at when he was the Yankees top prospect.
Funny–I was thinking the same thing. Problem is, I think Montero’s bat could come around, but I’m real skeptical about his ability to play 1st.