SEATTLE -- As the Mariners took the field for Kade Anderson's debut on Saturday afternoon, they did so with a last-minute and notable lineup change.
Brendan Donovan was scratched after being hit on the head with a baseball in the batting cages and was in the process of being evaluated.
In his stead, Weston Wilson took over at third base.
Donovan was slated to bat lead off and man the hot corner, but instead, left fielder Randy Arozarena was installed atop the order. Wilson was added in the No. 8 spot, with Cole Young moved up from that position into No. 7 in the lineup.
Donovan, who was seen going through pregame infield drills, has been a game-changer for the Mariners since returning from his second stint on the injured list with a left groin strain.
Since being activated on Aug. 4, he’s slashed .283/.345/.340 (.684 OPS) over 58 plate appearances across 14 games. That came after he missed nearly three months with the injury, which he’s said was related to major offseason sports hernia surgery he underwent last October as a member of the Cardinals.
Overall, Donovan -- who was acquired just before Spring Training as the capstone piece to a roster with World Series aspirations -- has played in just 39 games this season.