With J.P. Crawford on the injured list for the Seattle Mariners, Cole Young starts to settle into his new role. The starting second baseman for the Mariners commented on how much he enjoys batting leadoff in the lineup. Previously, Young was batting seventh or eighth to begin the season. However, injuries to Crawford and Brendan Donovan increased his spot in the batting order.
Young said, “I love it. I love just competing right away, getting that first at-bat right away.”
In Young’s 28 plate appearances at leadoff, he bats .360/.429/.520 with a home run.
He said, “The approach is the same. It’s more so just (about) finding anyway I can to get on base, whether it’s walks or hits.”
Young has unquestionably been one of the best Mariners this season. According to baseball reference, Young has the second highest wins above replacement on the roster. That is only behind Randy Arozarena.
Cole Young May Remain in Leadoff Spot
Young hit a walk off single during the last homestand.
When asked about Young’s position in the leadoff spot for the Seattle Mariners, manager Dan Wilson gave Young a ton of praise. His approach still remains the same regardless of where he hits in the lineup. However, being able to see that right away impacts the game dramatically.
Wilson said, “It’s not an easy switch coming from where he was to the leadoff spot. But it plays into (his) consistency. He hasn’t changed; he hasn’t done anything different. He’s just continued to do what he does, and I think we’re seeing that play out in a really big way for us at the top of the lineup.”
It’s possible that Young continues to hit on top of the lineup. Because of the injuries to Crawford and Donovan, as long as Young stays healthy, it makes sense to keep him in the leadoff spot. The move gives Crawford and Donovan protection towards the bottom of the lineup as they return from injury. Plus, Cal Raleigh’s position in the lineup when he returns will give a significant impact as well.
Cal Raleigh Set to Return Soon for Seattle Mariners
Raleigh’s recovery should finally pay dividends to the Mariners offense.
Raleigh hit his third home run of his rehab during Thursday’s Triple-A Tacoma game. He also caught seven innings during the games on Tuesday and Thursday. He should return in the lineup when the Mariners return to Seattle on Tuesday against the Baltimore Orioles. Manager Dan Wilson commented on Raleigh’s rehab.
He said, “Sounds like another pretty good evening for him, and that’s great news. (He’s) continuing to progress as we had hoped. So all good signs from what we’re hearing and what we’re seeing.”
The Mariners need Crawford, Donovan, and Raleigh back so fans can see the potential of this offense. Once the Seattle Mariners have their position players back, the ceiling of players like Young should only become more relevant. Hopefully, Raleigh’s struggles at the plate are behind him as well when he returns. The beginning of the season was not kind to the MVP runner-up.
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