Mitch Garver Goes Hitless In Return To Cactus League Action
Seattle Mariners catcher Mitch Garver (hand, wrist) returned to Cactus League action on Saturday against the San Diego Padres and went 0-for-2 at the plate with a walk and a strikeout in the 8-3 loss. Garver was forced to leave Monday's Cactus League game after he was hit by a pitch on his hand/wrist, but the 34-year-old veteran backstop returned to action on Saturday. He was behind the plate and hitting cleanup for the M's. Despite going hitless against SD, Garver is still hitting .400 with a 1.308 OPS, three home runs and six RBI in 10 spring training games. Garver will be fine for Opening Day on March 27 against the division-rival Athletics, but he won't carry much fantasy value in mixed leagues as the primary backup to Cal Raleigh. Most of Garver's at-bats will come as the team's designated hitter. Garver did go deep 15 times in 2024, but he slashed .172/.286/.341 with a 30.9% strikeout rate.
X-rays on Seattle Mariners catcher Mitch Garver's hand/wrist came back negative on Tuesday after he was hit by a pitch during his second plate appearance in Monday's Cactus League game. Trainers and a team doctor will look at Garver on Wednesday to see if a CT scan is necessary, but the Mariners think they avoided a major injury. The 34-year-old veteran backstop isn't dealing with a break of any kind but will likely take at least several days off from game action in camp. In his first year with Seattle in 2024, Garver hit just .172/.286/.341 with 15 home runs, 51 RBI and 37 runs scored in 430 plate appearances and 114 games while sharing playing time with Cal Raleigh. He has reached double-digit home runs in four straight seasons but had a 30.9% strikeout rate. Garver should once again see most of his time as a DH, and although he still has some power, he should only be considered in deep two-catcher leagues for his pop.
Mitch Garver Homers, Leaves Game After Hit-By-Pitch
Seattle Mariners designated hitter Mitch Garver blasted a two-run home run in Monday's 7-5 Cactus League loss to the Brewers, then exited the contest after being hit by a pitch in the wrist area in his next at-bat. The Mariners are still awaiting the results of X-rays but are obviously hoping for the best outcome as Garver had been having a productive spring and was expected to backup Cal Raleigh at catcher when he wasn't in the lineup as the team's designated hitter. The 34-year-old was hitting .444 (8-for-19) with three home runs, six RBI, and six runs scored in eight games so far this spring. The veteran still has some pop in his bat, as evidenced by the 15 home runs he hit in 114 games last season, but he also saw the strikeout rate soar to a career-worst of 30.9 percent (excluding 2020), 7.1 percent higher than the previous season. The former Silver Slugger award winner may be worthy of a roster spot in AL-only leagues given his power potential and eligibility at catcher, so interested managers will want to see what comes of the X-rays.
Seattle Mariners catcher Mitch Garver hasn't seen much of the field lately, but he has been productive whenever he plays. On Sunday, Garver went 3-for-5 with a three-run home run during the shutout victory over the Texas Rangers. The right-handed slugger has knocked in nine runs over his last three games. Possibly, this three-hit performance gives Garver more chances in the lineup, but he has struggled throughout most of the season. Garver isn't anything more than a dart throw in DFS lineups whenever he plays.
Seattle Mariners catcher Mitch Garver (wrist) is back in the starting lineup on Thursday, serving as the designated hitter and batting second against the visiting Baltimore Orioles and right-hander Corbin Burnes. Garver was held out of the starting lineup the last two games due to wrist soreness, but he entered Wednesday's contest as a pinch-hitter and will now return to the starting lineup. The 33-year-old veteran backstop mostly serves in the DH role for Seattle as the backup to starting catcher Cal Raleigh. He has hit just .176 (41-for-233) in his first year with the M's, but he's useful in two-catcher leagues due to his power (10 home runs). Even in the two-hole in his return to action on the Fourth of July, Garver isn't very attractive for DFS managers while going up against Burnes. Garver has never faced Burnes in his career.
Seattle Mariners catcher Mitch Garver (wrist) remains out of the team's starting lineup on Wednesday versus the visiting Baltimore Orioles. Cal Raleigh is doing the catching and is batting third, while Jorge Polanco serves as the designated hitter and bats sixth against Orioles right-hander Dean Kremer, who will be making his first start since coming off the injured list. Dylan Moore is at the keystone and is hitting in the nine-hole for the M's. Garver was hit by a pitch on his right wrist on Sunday against the Minnesota Twins and will miss a second straight game as a result. The 33-year-old backstop remains day-to-day. He's hitting a lowly .172 (40-for-232) in 2024 but has also provided fantasy managers in deeper leagues with 10 home runs and 31 RBI in his first year in the Pacific Northwest.
Seattle Mariners catcher Mitch Garver (wrist) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Tuesday's game against the Baltimore Orioles. The veteran slugger will take a seat after getting hit by a pitch in the hand during Sunday's contest. Currently, Garver is considered as day-to-day with a right wrist contusion. In the meantime, Cal Raleigh will do the catching while Mitch Haniger serves as the designated hitter during Tuesday's contest.
Seattle Mariners catcher Mitch Garver (wrist) was removed early during Sunday's game against the Minnesota Twins. Garver was hit by a pitch during the second inning. He was able to stay in and run the bases, but Garver left the game afterwards. The team is calling the injury a right wrist contusion. For the moment, fantasy managers should consider Garver as day-to-day. Cal Raleigh figures to see a majority of the time behind the plate until Garver returns.
Seattle Mariners catcher Mitch Garver is out of the starting lineup ahead of Monday's game against the New York Yankees. It sounds like the Mariners plan on shaking up their lineup going forward. Manager Scott Servais says he plans to mix in lefty bats more frequently. That means, Garver, Mitch Haniger, and Ty France could all see the bench more often. Garver has struggled this season, so a platoon situation isn't shocking. Cal Raleigh will cover behind the plate and bat third on Monday.
Seattle Mariners catcher Mitch Garver (back) has returned to the starting lineup on Friday against the Baltimore Orioles and left-hander John Means, serving as the designated hitter while batting third in the order. The 33-year-old veteran backstop will return to action after being scratched from Tuesday's lineup with back spasms. He's gone hitless in only three career at-bats against Means and is slashing just .174/.287/.347 with five home runs, 13 RBI and 13 runs scored in 143 trips to the plate and 36 games in his first season in Seattle. Garver has picked things up in May, though, going 9-for-37 (.243) with two doubles, two home runs, six RBI and five runs scored in 11 games played. He's also been better against lefties than righties in 2024, making him a DFS sleeper at the position on Friday against Means.
Mitch Garver
• C
•
Mariners
