The Mariners are shutting down center fielder Kyle Lewis for the remainder of the season, the club informed reporters (including Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times). Lewis recently suffered a bone bruise in his injured right knee.
It’s not a particularly surprising development, as the team revealed last week that his rehab had been halted because of soreness in his knee. Still, it’s surely a disappointing outcome for player and team alike. Lewis had been hoping to embark on a minor league rehab assignment and make it back this year. And with Seattle three games back of the Red Sox in the race for the American League’s final Wild Card spot, they could’ve used a late-season jolt from the reigning AL Rookie of the Year.
Given Lewis’ long history of trouble with the joint, the club’s caution is understandable though. The young outfielder tore his ACL not long after being drafted in 2016 and continued to be bothered by intermittent knee issues over the next couple seasons. He finally seemed to put them behind him by 2019, when he stayed healthy over a full season at Triple-A and earned his first big league promotion that September. He built off the promise he showed that year during the shortened 2020 campaign, when he hit .262/.364/.437 en route to the aforementioned Rookie of the Year selection.
Lewis’ knee troubles unfortunately cropped up again this year. He missed the first few weeks of the season with a bone bruise in the area. After returning to log a little more than a month’s worth of action, he suffered a meniscus tear in early June. Coupled with his recent setback, those injuries conspired to end his season after just 147 plate appearances.
Center field has been a problem area for the M’s since they lost Lewis. Top prospect Jarred Kelenic has gotten a lot of run there lately, but he’s struggled in his first taste of the majors. The 22-year-old is hitting just .158/.238/.281 over his first 281 MLB plate appearances. Even if Lewis had made it back, Seattle could’ve also bumped Kelenic to left field and displaced the struggling Jake Bauers/Dylan Moore pairing. Instead, they’re left to rely on those underperforming options as they hope to track down Boston or the Yankees over the season’s final four weeks.
Lewis will turn his attention to next Spring Training. The 26-year-old figures to again assume his role as the Mariners’ regular center fielder if healthy. Seattle still controls Lewis for four more seasons; he’ll be eligible for arbitration for the first time during the 2022-23 offseason.
Doesn’t come as much of a surprise. At least we’re getting good production from the LF and CF spots……oh wait
Lol!!
Lewis is becoming the American version of Michael Saunders; plays great when he’s in the lineup, but isn’t in the lineup all that much. As good as he might be, the M’s might be better off trading him this winter and get what they can for him; if they really want to contend in 2022, they can’t afford to take a chance on Lewis missing 2-3 months out of the season.
They don’t need to trade any of their young guys. Way too early. They just need to add another veteran to the OF/DH mix on the off-season. Even if Kelenic and Lewis both pop next year they still have space at the 4th spot (DH and 4th OF spot). Hopefully between Fraley, Kelenic and Lewis they can man the two OF spots, but the Mariners have money to spend to not rely on hope. Then they need to outbid others for a no. 1 starter. Again, they have plenty of numbers at SP but they need a certain producer at the top of the rotation. That is what they need in the OF. A certain producer, then let everyone else compete for the other ABs.
I totally agree that they shouldn’t trade away any young talent yet, but I think they need to focus on the infield more than the outfield for next season. They’re going to gamble on Kelenic and Lewis both popping, and both will have significant leashes when healthy. That’s two spots gone. And I think with his veteran leadership and production, they bring Haniger back. Fraley is a perfect 4th. Julio Rodriguez replaces Haniger in 2023. This off-season they need a big time 3B/1B depending on what they do with Toro and France position wise, and if they bring Seager back or not. I think they need to give up on Evan White. I understand he’s had very few at bats, but I genuinely think has zero chance to ever be a productive hitter IMO
I think with France playing do well at 1B Evan White can go to AAA and take whatever time it takes to develop his hitting. They rushed him because his glove was already top notch MLB ready. Under contract for several years. Him, Kelenic, and Raleigh are all still TBD as to their MLB status. That is why you need a pipeline of players coming. Not all will pop at the MLB level for various reasons.
No way in hell we are keeping Julio’s bat in AAA all season next year. If anything Lewis and Haniger will share DH duties. Regardless, after we manipulate Julio’s service time he will be up prior to May 1st. Hell the way he is crushing AA, it wouldn’t surprise me to see him get a cup of coffee before THIS year is out.
Nelson Cruz could fit nicely
Trade him for Byron Buxton and see if changing of teams helps both of them stay on the field!
Cant trade Lewis in the off-season. His value has taken a hit due to his bad knees. Best bet is to DH him and find a CF. It’s not ideal but at least you keep his bat in the lineup longer. Only option they have really if you want to keep him in the game more. Once knees go bad there’s no looking back. They’re always going to be balky, especially covering the OF.
Rays will end up trading gLasnow this offseason even though he’s out for the season , I guess they. Are like hold my beer if I can still trade a guy comprised for value even if it’s a lil below value they will always take it over losing them for nothing !
Lewis’s bone bruise was the reason he was on the IL out of Spring Training; his current IL stint is due to a torn Meniscus.
They honestly should have shut him down weeks ago when it was apparent he wasn’t recovering as quickly as they hoped he would.
I’m very afraid we hear sometime early in the offseason that he’s expected to have another significant knee surgery.
A meniscus repair is not major knee surgery. That’s a 4-6 week recovery process. The real concern is if he has cartilage damage or loss. That’s when it starts becoming career threatening.
His surgery was in June. Either the recovery process is longer tha you think or the Mariners are lying about what actually happened.I’m inclined to believe they want to avoid any potential punishment for lying about injuries; if such a policy exists.
Either way, he absolutely has cartilage damage; he tore his ACL and this Meniscus twice. i’m betting these “bone bruises” he’s had are indicative of his knee being shot.
Its a catch22. Until he shows he can stay healthy, his value is reduced, and you won’t get (perceived) equal value back, but if you don’t accept that lower value, than Seattle accepts the risk he won’t be healthy. My suggestion-Sign Michael Taylor for the bench.
Still waiting for Kelenic to prove he’s even a platoon player. That doesn’t bode well for all the crying earlier this season how they were holding him down to manipulate his service time. I know he’s homesick and misses life in Wisconsin, but come on, he’s not 12.
He needs to stick to his upright batting stance and put in significant work with it during the offseason. He could easily hit something like 25 HR+ and drive in 80+ runs IF he can find himself at this level, He does hit the ball hard; he just has to do it much more often.
Hopefully some good additions in the offseason take some pressure of of him to perform so well.
Last thing anyone who’s intelligent should do, is listen to fans complaining about service time. These people aren’t winners, nor are they gms. They don’t know anything about baseball. When it turns out the player isn’t ready for mlb because he was rushed they never admit they were wrong.
We need you Kyle Lewis for next year and beyond. Now, if we can only get rid of Rick Rizzs from any Mariners radio telecast, Mariners will be successful since Rizzs jinx will no longer exist.
How about we get rid of you
Yeah, you Rick.
Yeah, you Ricky.
Want another try?
By Rizz, you must mean Dave Simms the worst color guy of all time.
Rizzs is a Mariners icon; he’s not going anywhere until he retires.
lol get rid of Rick? I’m sure you enjoy Dave Sims though… Keep enjoying his constant talk of things that have nothing to do with baseball or the Seattle Mariners. He belongs on a Philadelphia Phillies broadcast or a different sport.
Rizz came to Detroit years ago. I didnt care much for him. I think some idiot fired the legendary Ernie Harwell to accomodate Rizz. That didnt work out well.
Sorry if I missed it, but what happened with Trammell? Why wasn’t he called up? I see he struggled, but still…
I’ve been wondering the same thing; given that they’re throwing infielders into LF every night instead of calling Trammell up. His numbers are much better in AAA.
Either they don’t have anyone to really replace him there, or they feel Bauers/Moore present a better alternative.
I wonder how long it will take for Mariners fans to realize Lewis’s hype is the result of one month.
Longer than angels fans to realize jo adell is a bust, and Mets fans longer to realize their franchise is a joke.
Merrifield for Lewis would be interesting
1st base France; 2nd base Semien; JP shortstop; Toro 3rd base. Cal at catcher with a solid backup who could swap in Cal’s place if he continues to struggle. Right field Haniger until Julio comes up. Don’t rush Julio. Acquire a veteran for CF. Kelenic in LF. Trade Fraley; Moore & Bauers .
Reigning Rookie of the Year? More like reigning Bust.
Lewis may be the reigning Rookie of the Year. But Betts is the reigning Mookie of the Year. Amirite?