By keeping Jhonny Pereda, Mariners could help Rob Refsnyder

The Seattle Mariners are about to get healthier, including at a very important position for them: catcher, where Cal Raleigh authored perhaps the greatest offensive season by a backstop in baseball history last year.

Mariners make first of what will be multiple roster moves

With Raleigh set to return Tuesday from an injured list stint for an oblique strain, the obvious move would be for the Mariners to send down catcher Jhonny Pereda, who has minor league options, rather than designate veteran Mitch Garver for assignment, which could mean losing Garver to another team.

Pereda’s play in Raleigh’s absence, however, doesn’t warrant a demotion to Triple-A Tacoma, though. In 19 games for the M’s this year, the 30 year old is hitting .270 with a .324 on-base percentage and two home runs. And considering he’s a right-handed bat for a lineup that is both heavily left-handed and ranks last in baseball against left-handed pitchers in batting average, slugging and OPS, Pereda’s bat seems somewhat necessary for the M’s.

Seattle Sports’ Brock Huard has an idea to keep Pereda that might actually help the Mariners get better at hitting lefties a bit farther down the road.

“I’d sure like to see (Rob) Refsnyder go on the IL with his knee that has been barking,” Huard said Monday on Brock and Salk. “He made that public so it’s not like feigning some injury. Because if I want a right-handed bat and a quality at-bat off the bench, I think Pereda’s giving you infinitely more than Refsnyder has.”

The Mariners signed Refsnyder, a veteran right-handed bat known for being effective against lefty pitchers, out of free agency in the offseason, but the 35-year-old outfielder/designated hitter has struggled in his first year with Seattle. Entering the week, he’s slashing just .148/.212/.250 for a .462 OPS with three home runs in 42 games, and that’s with 84% of his plate appearances coming against lefties.

Huard’s co-host Mike Salk liked the idea for a couple reasons. First, carrying three catchers would allow the Mariners to not push Raleigh too hard going forward, giving him more days as the DH.

Second, it has to do with Refsnyder and the knee issue he said in late May has been plaguing him all season.

“If it gives Refsnyder enough of a break to come back and hopefully be the guy that you had signed, I’d be all for that,” Salk said. “I think that’s a great plan.”

Hear the full conversation in the final segment of the podcast at this link or in the player below. Catch Brock and Salk live from 6-10 a.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports.

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