SEATTLE -- One day after exiting early with left hip tightness, Brendan Donovan was out of the Mariners’ lineup for Saturday’s game against the Rangers as he continues to recover.
The third baseman is day to day and is not expected to be considered for the 10-day injured list at this point.
“We’ll just keep gathering information as we go,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said.
It’s possible that Donovan will be considered at designated hitter in the coming days to get him off his feet, though doing so could compromise the club’s platoon there between lefty-hitting Dominic Canzone and righty-hitting Rob Refsnyder. However, that tandem is a combined 9-for-61 (.148) with a .554 OPS.
“We continue to make our adjustments; that's what baseball is,” Wilson said. “And we'll continue to make our adjustments as we go. Maybe it's a DH day here and there. Maybe it's other things we look at.”
Donovan dealt with right groin discomfort two weeks ago in Anaheim but only missed two starts, then he labored through an illness last weekend vs. Houston that sidelined him for another two starts.
Though this issue is new, Donovan suggested two weeks ago that the groin issue might’ve been related to the sports hernia surgery that he underwent on Oct. 7 when still a member of the Cardinals. Wilson echoed that sentiment on Saturday.
“It's something that you have to closely monitor and keep watching on,” Wilson said. “It's a big surgery, and he did a great job of getting through it, getting to Spring Training and the slow ramp-up in Spring Training. And now we're into the season. So it's just continued monitoring.”
Donovan’s style of play -- “like my hair is on fire” -- makes it tough for him to slow down once he gets going. And the Mariners don’t want to limit that, either. Third base is a new and more demanding position than he was accustomed to in St. Louis, where he was primarily a second baseman.
“I also think that when you ask guys to be cautious, that's when they lead to other injuries,” Wilson said. “So you've got to be who you are on the field, no question. And we talk about that a lot. That's who you are. And Donnie plays hard, and that's what we love about him.”
Donovan made two plays in the field on Friday, including a double play to end the third, and ran in on a successful bunt single before being removed as the Mariners took the field to begin the top of the fourth inning. In the dugout just prior to the substitution, he was seen conferring with Mariners head athletic trainer Kyle Torgerson.
At the plate, he’s been one of Seattle's more productive hitters, with a slash line of .304/.437/.518 (.955 OPS) over 56 at-bats through 18 games, which included a flyout to right field in the first inning on Friday and a popout to third base in the second.
In Donovan’s stead, Leo Rivas started at third base and hit ninth, while J.P. Crawford moved into Donovan’s spot in the order, leading off vs. right-hander Nathan Eovaldi.