Mariners will likely need to make a move at catcher
Jun 5, 2013, 12:55 AM | Updated: 10:02 am
By Shannon Drayer
Jesus Sucre left Tuesday’s game after being struck on the left hand by the backswing of Alexi Ramirez. After the game, Eric Wedge said that X-rays may have shown “something small” in the hand and that he would be re-evaluated Wednesday morning.
I saw Sucre in the clubhouse after the game and he had the left hand and wrist wrapped and encased in a protective covering halfway up his forearm. It would appear there is no way he will be available to play in Wednesday’s finale against the White Sox and that the Mariners are going to have to make a move.
With Jesus Montero out with a meniscus tear, the next up would be Brandon Bantz, who was called up from Double-A to back up at Tacoma when Sucre was called up, and Mike Zunino. Neither are on the 40-man roster but the Mariners could possibly place Montero on the 60-day disabled list to get someone on. Jack Zduriencik was in Wedge’s office after the game no doubt debating just what they would do.
“We’re kind of in a pickle here,” Wedge admitted after the game, “but we’re going to have to try to cover ourselves.”
The preference has been to not rush Zunino and his numbers in Triple-A would indicate he is not yet ready. Super 2 status has been brought up but that most likely would not be a factor if Zunino was only up for a short time and spent the majority of the remaining season in Tacoma.
From what I have seen from Zunino in spring training I doubt a short stay in the bigs would harm him. His makeup is said to be off the charts and he didn’t look out of place in the big-league clubhouse or during drills in Peoria. He carried himself with a lot of confidence both on and off the field.
A third option, an option the Mariners will most likely need to take if Sucre is out for more than a week or two, would be to look to other organizations for catching help. We should know better Wednesday just how long Sucre is expected to miss. Hopefully, for his sake and the organization’s, that time will be brief.
