Seattle Mariners: One step forward, two steps back
By Paul Taylor
Just when things were finally going right for the Seattle Mariners, they suffer two more potential key injuries during a Thursday afternoon loss to the Colorado Rockies.
Things finally seemed to be going right for the Seattle Mariners, with a four-game winning streak and the casualty list slowly clearing up. However, this is the Mariners, so of course things aren’t allowed to run too smoothly in the Pacific Northwest.
And so it proved to be on a Thursday afternoon, when a 6-3 loss to the Colorado Rockies was the least of the M’s problems. (You’re going to have one or two defeats during the course of a 162-game season.) Of more importance, were injuries to a couple of key players.
The first involved Nelson Cruz, who had already suffered a scare earlier in the week, after experiencing tightness in his right calf. This time, he was hit in the left hand by a high fastball during the third inning.
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Cruz was checked by a team trainer and remained in the game. However, he was eventually removed in the fifth inning.
The second injury involved Jean Segura, and happened during the fourth inning. He twisted his right ankle during a hard slide into second base and had to be helped off the field.
Segura has already missed time this season, due to a strained right hamstring. Another absence would understandably be crucial, especially with him currently leading the American League in batting average.
Unsurprisingly, neither player was available to talk after the game. As such, it was up to Mariners’ manager Scott Servais to update The Seattle Times‘ Adam Jude and the rest of the assembled media:
"“We’ve dealt with (injuries) all year, and we’ll deal with this if we lose the guys,” Servais said. “But I’m hopeful that it is going to be a day-to-day thing with both of those guys. We’ll just have to wait and see.”"
Servais went on to say he hoped Cruz hadn’t suffered a broken bone. As for Segura, he simply acknowledged they can’t afford to miss him for an extended period of time.
While injuries are never a good thing for a team, the timing of these two is still particularly frustrating. The Mariners were finally beginning to find their groove and get back into Wild Card contention. (They can forget about winning the AL West.)
Regardless, the M’s will carry on as they have all season and fight through this latest potential setback. Certainly, Servais won’t let this — or anything — get them down, as he told Jude and the rest of the media:
"“I do believe in our guys, and they know where we’re at,” he said. “We’re through feeling sorry for ourselves. We’re through that. That’s behind us.”"
Next: James Paxton continues where he left off
Pending an update on the injury status of both players, who can the Mariners’ least afford to lose – Cruz or Segura and why? Share your thoughts in the comments section.