After being re-acquired by the Seattle Mariners this offseason, fan favorite Mitch Haniger is set to make his spring training debut on Sunday when the M's take on the Cleveland Guardians.
The lineup, per Adam Jude of the Seattle Times:
1) Ryan Bliss, 2B
2) Mitch Haniger, DH
3) Cal Raleigh, C
4) Luke Raley, 1B
5) Dom Canzone, RF
6) Dylan Moore, SS
7) Sam Haggerty, LF
8) Samad Taylor, CF
9) Michael Chavis, 3B
SP: Jhonathan Diaz
The M's opened up their spring slate on Saturday with a loss to the Chicago White Sox and most of these players did not play (though Taylor did). Thus, it's the first appearance in an M's uniform for Raley and Chavis. As for Haniger, he will play right field this season when able, but he'll also see time at designated hitter as he continues to try to manage his health.
Very talented but oft-injured, he dealt with back, forearm and oblique injuries last year as a member of the San Francisco Giants. He was brought back in the trade that sent Robbie Ray to the Bay Area.
The 33-year-old Haniger is a lifetime .256 hitter who has played for the Diamondbacks, Mariners and Giants. He got only 211 at-bats and hit .209 with six homers last season.
Haniger also missed the entire COVID-shortened 2020 season and then was injured in 2022 when he played just 57 games.
His best season came in 2021 for Seattle, when he hit 39 homers and drove in 100. He also made the All-Star team in 2018 when he ended up hitting 26 homers and bringing in 93.
The Mariners went 88-74 last season and missed the playoffs by 1.0 game.
More must-reads: