Dipoto: Sam Haggerty’s stellar run for Mariners has been ‘awesome to watch’

Sam Haggerty, or “Ham Swaggerty” as many know him as, is on some kind of roll for the Mariners of late, going from utility man and pinch runner to a legit threat in Seattle’s lineup in a fairly short amount of time.

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After missing most of 2021 with a shoulder injury, Haggerty started 2022 in Triple-A Tacoma and is now in his second stint with the MLB club. He’s made the most of his opportunities, slashing .323/.369/.542 with four home runs, 12 RBIs, 12 extra-base hits, 17 runs scored and five steals in 103 plate appearances. Haggerty has been especially hot of late, slashing a ridiculous .423/.464/.731 with two home runs, four RBIs, four extra-base hits and three runs scored in nine games (seven starts) in August.

“It’s been awesome to watch,” Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto told The Mike Salk Show on Seattle Sports 710 AM on Thursday. “It may be the most fun that we have every day is smiling every time Sam does something else that’s just awesome in a game.”

With injuries piling up for the Mariners, especially in the outfield, Haggerty has played a lot for Seattle, and is impacting the game in every possible way.

“It’s the diving catches, he’s a wonderful baserunner, he’s spraying the ball around, he’s hitting the ball out of the ballpark, which is a new element that we couldn’t have possibly expected. And it’s really fun to watch,” Dipoto said. ” … He’s a great athlete, he’s got a good way about him, and as I’ve said before, he is he is extremely confident in his abilities. You’re not able to do these things in these moments unless you are … Sam’s always had a good swing. And a switch-hitter who can run? That’s a great commodity and I can’t feel better for a person for what Sam went through to get to this point, and the fact that he’s delivering the way he is.”

Slam Haggerty. pic.twitter.com/opwMdVC7fe

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) August 10, 2022

Haggerty’s played most of his games this year in the outfield, but he’s a natural second baseman.

With Adam Frazier’s contract expiring at the end of the season, could Haggerty be a potential long-term option for the Mariners in the infield?

“We’ll have to see where he goes defensively. I think the biggest thing for Sam coming into spring training this year was that he had had some arm issues. He missed most almost all of last season, recovering from some some arm and elbow issues,” Dipoto said. “And that was the big impetus behind not playing him at second base as frequently earlier in the year, especially in the spring. We were waiting for Sam to tell us ‘I feel good throwing.’ So if that continues to be the case, I’m watching him throw from the outfield right now, and it seems much easier for him and certainly not reserved in any way. And I guess that allows you to consider second base as that’s his natural position. If that’s something he can bring to the table next year, we’re just a better, deeper team for it.”

Listen to the full Jerry Dipoto Show at this link or in the player below.

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