This story was excerpted from Daniel Kramer’s Mariners Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

SEATTLE -- Marco Gonzales’ season on the field was over last month when he underwent surgery to repair a nerve issue in his pitching forearm, but his off-the-field contributions to the Mariners and the Seattle community remain as strong as ever.

For the second straight year, Gonzales was recognized as the organization’s nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, which is considered baseball’s most prestigious individual honor. It recognizes the Major League player who best represents the game through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field.

Gonzales was honored in a special pregame ceremony on the field on Sept. 15, the day that the league celebrates Roberto Clemente Day.

“I feel very humble in that it’s not about me,” Gonzales said recently. “It’s about the people that we’ve tried to impact and do things around the community. I feel like we’ve been involved in so much that we just tried to ingrain ourselves in the Seattle area as much as we can. I feel like it’s been our home to us. We’re raising our babies here. We have family here, friends here. And we take pride in what we’ve done.”

Gonzales’ charitable efforts are rooted all the way back to his days at Gonzaga University, where he operated on a mantra of “Win on the field, win in the classroom and win in the community.”

He and his wife, Monica, met at Gonzaga and have spearheaded philanthropic efforts ever since -- even when he was coming up in the Minor Leagues in the Cardinals organization. But their passion has reached even more humbling heights during his seven seasons in Seattle, where they’ve long considered home even before he was traded to the Mariners in 2017.

Marco and Monica have led efforts to raise awareness and funds to support research and find a cure for Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), a rare, degenerative neurological disorder that Monica’s mother, Linda Zender, was diagnosed with in 2016. She passed away in ‘21.

Last year, they launched their limited-edition Grace G7 Red Blend wine with proceeds benefiting Defeat MSA. As part of the launch, the couple hosted a wine release celebration and silent auction to raise additional awareness and funds for MSA research, helping raise $44,300. Marco and Monica have also teamed up with a local Seattle restaurant to create a signature “Mr. & Mrs. Bulldog” breakfast sandwich to benefit Defeat MSA Alliance and the MSA Coalition.

“I'm so incredibly proud of him,” Monica said. “And everything that he does in the community is really out of the goodness of his heart. And to get celebrated for that is just not something you expect, but is very appreciated.”

Beyond those efforts, Gonzales teamed up with the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WSCADV) for the second straight year to serve as a spokesperson for the Refuse To Abuse campaign. A fundraising 5K that he supported, which celebrates the resilience of survivors and the power of community, generated $85,365.

“I’m really, really proud of our efforts,” Gonzales said. “And I hope I’ve inspired some of my teammates and people around the area to do the same. Because I think that’s what we’re here for, to use our platforms to make this world a better place for all of us to live in.”

As one of the lone Mariners who lives in Seattle year-round, Gonzales is also active in the offseason, participating in the Seattle Mariners Caravan and Community Tours since 2018, delivering positive messages to kids at elementary schools, hospitals, Boys & Girls Clubs, and community centers.

Gonzales has also teamed up with Mariners broadcaster Rick Rizzs to support Toys for Kids, a nonprofit organization that provides gifts and support to homeless and disadvantaged children and families throughout the year and particularly during the holidays.

The league-wide winner of the Roberto Clemente Award will be announced during the World Series. It's voted on as part of a panel that also includes fans, who are encouraged to vote at MLBTogether.com/clemente21. Fans can vote until Oct. 1.

Over the years, three Mariners players have received the Clemente Award -- Harold Reynolds in 1991, Jamie Moyer in 2003 and Edgar Martinez in '04.