Mariners hope Cano gets rolling down stretch

Servais encouraged by 2nd baseman's past few games

September 21st, 2016

SEATTLE -- One thing that would clearly help the Mariners as they head down the stretch is getting rolling again. Manager Scott Servais acknowledged that the second baseman's 2-for-4 game with a two-run triple in Tuesday's 10-2 loss to the Blue Jays at Safeco Field was one of the few positives out of that setback.
Cano has been outstanding this season, but he's hit a lull at a bad time, batting .185 with just two extra-base hits and three RBIs over the past 14 games entering Wednesday. The seven-time All-Star had a 1-for-21 stretch over five games prior to the Blue Jays series, so Servais was encouraged by a single and walk in Monday's loss, which also included a well-struck line drive with the bases loaded that was hauled down at the warning track.
Cano followed that up with several hard-hit balls and a pair of hits Tuesday, and Servais is hopeful the trend continues. Servais says Cano can't try to do too much on his own.
"He's probably been our most consistent guy all year until this last little stretch, where he hit the skids a little bit and was chasing pitches," Servais said. "You want to call it anxious, timing, whatever you want to call it, it just wasn't good at-bats and not a lot of production.
"But it has been better the last couple nights, and that was encouraging. The other night he took a walk, which is a good thing for Robbie. He's seeing the ball better and has put some good swings on the ball."
Worth noting
tweaked his neck during on a second-inning strikeout on Tuesday, but he played through the issue, according to Servais, who wouldn't mind seeing his hyperactive center fielder be a little more under control at the plate.

"He's swinging really hard, and he pulled off a ball funny and his neck was barking a little," Servais said. "But he stayed in the game, and he's in the lineup [Wednesday]. He's OK. He doesn't get cheated. He swings about as hard as anybody I've seen in a while."
• Toronto's four-homer game on Tuesday gave the Blue Jays a little distance on the Mariners in the American League's long ball totals. The Orioles went into Wednesday leading the league with 238 home runs. Toronto is second with 213 and Seattle third at 207. The only National League team to crack that mix is the Cardinals with 212.