Haniger ‘starting to feel it’ as Mariners walk off PhilsHaniger ‘starting to feel it’ as Mariners walk off Phils

Haniger 'starting to feel it' as Mariners walk off Phils Veteran outfielder tied for most walk-offs in Seattle history after big night 6:16 AM UTC Daniel Kramer @DKramer_ Share share-square-488846 SEATTLE — Mitch Haniger approached Scott Servais shortly after the All-Star break and sparked a conversation that centered on conviction. In the midst of a
Haniger ‘starting to feel it’ as Mariners walk off PhilsHaniger ‘starting to feel it’ as Mariners walk off Phils

Haniger ‘starting to feel it’ as Mariners walk off Phils

Veteran outfielder tied for most walk-offs in Seattle history after big night

6:16 AM UTC

SEATTLE — Mitch Haniger approached Scott Servais shortly after the All-Star break and sparked a conversation that centered on conviction.

In the midst of a season in which he’d cooled mightily since a strong Spring Training to the point where his playing time diminished, the veteran outfielder told the Mariners’ manager that he believed he’d unlocked a new frontier with his swing.

“I’m about to get hot,” Haniger told Servais.

Slowly but surely, Haniger appears to have turned a corner — and no game more encapsulated his turnaround than when he bookended the Mariners’ 6-5 walk-off win over the Phillies on Saturday night, drawing a bases-loaded walk in the 10th inning after putting Seattle on the board with a solo homer in the fifth.

In that game-winning sequence, which came after falling behind in the count 0-2 against Carlos Estévez — the Phils’ prized Trade Deadline acquisition from the Angels — Haniger spit on a pair of incredibly close pitches, fouled off one more and nearly swung at the penultimate offering before watching ball four go by, thrusting his bat toward the home dugout at T-Mobile Park in excitement.

It was Haniger’s seventh career walk-off as a Mariner, tying him with Jim Presley for the most in franchise history. Even though it came in less dramatic fashion than some that preceded it, “a win is a win,” in Haniger’s eyes.

“It’s kind of one of those things where you just really commit to the fastball,” Haniger said. “And if you see the spin and it’s in the zone, you’ve obviously got to try to make contact. But just staying on his fastball, because that’s his best pitch.”

Haniger’s homer earlier in the game came when the Mariners were scoreless and trailing by five runs to the Phillies, and it wound up sparking their largest comeback of the season.

In that sequence, Haniger ambushed a first-pitch 89.4 mph fastball at the bottom of the zone from lefty Kolby Allard, one night after he crushed a middle-in cutter from reliever José Alvarado in an 0-1 count for a solo shot in Seattle’s runaway win on Friday. Both homers were carbon copies of each other — big blasts to the pull side, a trademark for Haniger when he’s at his best.

“My posture has been like messed up the whole first half,” Haniger said. “I feel like after the second half, I kind of honed in on that and it’s been improving a lot.

I had a great spring and instant success, and then it kind of didn’t help me. Everything I had worked on, I kind of had to throw it to the side and go back to what I’ve done in the past, get back to swinging like I can and just keep my head still and stay more upright.”

Haniger also drew a two-out walk in the sixth that set up pinch-hitter Luke Raley for a double off the right-field wall that plated two, followed by Josh Rojas’ game-tying RBI single after his liner nicked Bryce Harper’s mitt at first base.

Since the All-Star break, Haniger is slashing .257/.422/.543 (.965 OPS), compared to a line of .208/.282/.336 (.618 OPS) in the first half.

It’s only a 12-game sample of 45 plate appearances. But given how Haniger’s playing time diminished in May and June largely due to a lack of production, the veteran getting back on track could potentially be a boon to an offense that’s needed him.

“He’s had great years here where he’s hit the long ball. He’s been really consistent at the plate,” Servais said. “It’s been a little frustrating for him — like a lot of our guys early in the season — to get it going. But players that have played as long as he has in the league, they feel it. He’s starting to feel it and we need it.”

Beyond his bat, Haniger has also looked much better in right field during this same stretch, with a few impressive catches into the right-center gap or near the foul line during Seattle’s road trip through Chicago and Boston.

Haniger is the Mariners’ most expensive position player this season, earning $20 million, and he carries a $15.5 million player option for next year — a clause he’ll almost certainly exercise based on his numbers to this point, and a lofty enough price tag for the Mariners that will almost certainly ensure he’ll be back.

Both sides are banking on him exhibiting production closer to what he’s shown of late.

Total
0
Shares
Leave a Reply
Related Posts
Fascinating charts reveal the most popular names for boys and girls over the last three decades – so is YOUR name on the list?
Read More

Fascinating charts reveal the most popular names for boys and girls over the last three decades – so is YOUR name on the list?

Think Matthew, Katie and William are still three of the most popular names given to babies? Well, you'd be wrong. Mesmerising charts today show how some traditional names have slowly fallen out of favour over time. MailOnline crunched Office for National Statistics data covering between 1996 and 2022, to illustrate how the 10 most popular

Anti-school-choice groups oppose Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro for VP: ‘Has supported policies mirroring Project 2025’

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is a top contender for Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate this campaign season — but he’s not the choice candidate for the anti-school-choice crowd. That’s why teachers’ unions across the country are seeking to block him from becoming the Democratic vice-presidential nominee. Twenty-eight self-described “public education advocacy

Murder charge in Detroit Jewish leader Samantha Woll’s slaying dismissed — but suspect won’t avoid jail time

The homicide case against the suspect accused of stabbing Detroit synagogue leader Samantha Woll to death came undone Friday, more than three weeks after a jury couldn’t decide if he was the killer and cleared him of premeditated murder. But suspect Michael Jackson-Bolanos won’t avoid jail time completely, a judge determined after he was found