Mariners: 3 reasons they will still have realistic shot at the All-Star break
By Paul Taylor
1) Rotation getting healthier
Yes, the injuries have been tough to deal with. In fact, the casualty list has been barely believable at times, while at the same time summing up the constant bad luck that seems to hang over the Mariners franchise.
The single biggest absence has arguably been Jean Segura, who has already missed 28 games this season. At the time of heading for his second stint on the disabled list, he was leading the American League in batting average and providing all-around excellent production from the shortstop position.
However, it’s the rotation which has been most affected by injuries. At one point, their top four starters were all on the DL – seriously, how often does that happen?! (Editor’s note: At least on one other occasion, as we’ll discover on the next slide.)
As things stand, the Mariners are still missing three starters – Felix Hernandez, Hisashi Iwakuma and Drew Smyly. However, the good news is that Herandez and Iwakuma — along with Segura — are expected back this week, to provide a timely boost to the team.