The Seattle Mariners have hit a speed bump.
Just this week, right fielder Victor Robles and second baseman Ryan Bliss have been placed on the injured list.
That means the Mariners will be without two of their top stolen base threats when they open a three-game series with the American League West-leading Texas Rangers on Friday night at T-Mobile Park.
Robles, the Mariners’ leadoff hitter, suffered a left shoulder dislocation and a small fracture in the humeral head that connects the humerus bone to the shoulder joint Sunday while making a spectacular leaping catch into the protective netting in foul territory in San Francisco.
Robles, who has stolen 37 bases while being caught just twice since being acquired off waivers from Washington last summer, is expected to be sidelined for three months.
Bliss tore his left biceps while swinging at a pitch from Houston’s Framber Valdez in the second inning Tuesday. Bliss finished the game, a 2-1 loss in 12 innings, and had a double in the fifth.
The Mariners announced on Thursday that Bliss, who has seven steals in 44 career games, would undergo surgery Friday and is expected to miss four to five months.
“It’s a really tough break, especially for Ryan. I think it shows a lot of heart that he played most of the game with it,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “I think it shows you a lot about what’s inside of him and the character that he has. It’s a tough break, but Ryan has such a great attitude and is ready to get after it and get back and get healthy.”
The Mariners are coming off an improbable 7-6 victory on Wednesday afternoon against visiting Houston, giving them their first series victory of the season.
Trailing 5-0 entering the bottom of the eighth, the Mariners pulled within a run on Randy Arozarena’s grand slam.
After the Astros added an insurance run in the top of the ninth, Julio Rodriguez hit a two-run double to tie it and Arozarena drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs to bring home the deciding run.
“I know we have a good group,” Arozarena said through an interpreter. “And I know it’s early in the season, but the object is in October — I want to get back to October. Like I said, it’s still early on, but we have a tight group … and I think we’re going to get there.”
Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller (0-2, 5.73 ERA) is scheduled to start Friday against Rangers righty Jacob deGrom (0-0, 3.38).
Miller, a native of Mount Pleasant, Texas, who attended Texas A&M, is 0-3 with an 8.64 ERA in four career starts against the Rangers; deGrom is 1-1 with a 1.83 ERA in four starts versus Seattle.
The Rangers also have some health concerns as outfielder Wyatt Langford was placed on the 10-day IL on Wednesday with a Grade 1 right oblique strain.
Langford was lifted late in Tuesday’s 10-6 loss against the Cubs in which he hit his team-leading fourth home run. He also had a team-high six RBIs at the time.
“This is one of the things you don’t really feel when you’re just sitting around. It’s more so the action of it,” said Langford, who lobbied to remain on the active roster. “It’s frustrating any time you get hurt … I really want to be out there playing, especially when we’re playing really well.”
Without Langford, the Rangers beat host Chicago 6-2 on Wednesday as Tyler Mahle allowed one run on two hits over six innings and Corey Seager hit a pair of solo homers.
–Field Level Media
