Ty France’s short injury absence means Sam Haggerty heads back to bench

Sam Haggerty’s turn as the Mariners’ starting first baseman lasted all of one game. As expected, Ty France, the Mariners’ regular starting first baseman, was back in the starting lineup after a one-game absence.

France was hit in the left hand by a 97-mph fastball from A’s reliever Trevor May in Tuesday night’s win. When it first happened, it looked like France had been struck on the left wrist or the bony part of his hand.

The ball hit France on the outside part of the fatty pad on his palm, which helped protect any bones from breaking.

“He came in yesterday and I think after he get done swinging the bat and doing some things like if we were in the playoffs yesterday, he would have played it,” Servais said. “That’s one way to put it. We’re not in the playoffs and we’ve got a lot of season ahead of us. I do think we dodged a bullet because that could have been really bad. Anytime you get hit on the hand that flush, it can be not good. Luckily, it hit him in a fatty part of the hand and he’s in there tonight. Is he 100%? I don’t know about that. Only he knows, but he’s good enough to play and we want them in there.”

No player is 100% at this point in the season.

For Haggerty, it meant another night on the bench waiting for a chance to play.

A year ago, he reached cult hero status with the fan base. With a face of a high-school kid and the speed of a track star, he was the Mariners’ main antagonist in their “chaos ball” style of play, becoming a menace on the bases. He made things happen on the bases and in the field with his ridiculous athleticism.

He grew into a set role late in the season, starting most games in the outfield when opponents started a left-handed pitcher and appearing as a defensive replacement late in games. In 79 plate appearances vs. left-handed hitters, he posted a .364/.449/.652 slash line with five doubles, a triple, four homers, 12 RBI, 10 walks and 19 strikeouts.

But the playing time hasn’t been there this season. With an odd roster composition coming out of spring training because of the injury to Dylan Moore, the recent emergence of Jose Caballero, AJ Pollock signed to be the right-handed hitting outfielder and the success of Jarred Kelenic against lefties, Haggerty has played sporadically. He also missed a week because of a concussion suffered while diving for a ball in the infield.

He’s played in 20 games this season, starting just nine. In 42 plate appearances, he’s had six hits with two doubles, two RBI, five walks and 10 strikeouts.

Filling in for France, he had a big two-run double to spark a five-run inning for Seattle. The line drive had a 108-mph exit velocity, which was the hardest hit ball of his career.

Prior to getting the start, he’d had a total of six plate appearances since May 10 — a span of 12 games.

“It’s difficult because baseball is a game of rhythm and flow and hitting especially,” he said. “Seeing the ball and controlling the strike zone, it’s definitely much easier if you play. But it doesn’t give me any excuse to not be able to have competitive at-bats. You just do as much work as you can in the cage with the Trajekt (pitching machine) and stay locked in so when the opportunity comes, you try to capitalize.”

Servais knows that Haggerty has lost expected playing time but still trusts him to be prepared.

“It’s a credit to him,” Servais said. “He’s ready to go no matter what you need. He’s always thinking the game even if he’s not in the starting lineup.”

Moore, who has yet to play this season because of offseason core surgery and an oblique strain in spring training, restarted a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma. He could be ready to come off the injured list in the next 10 days.

There is a chance that Haggerty, who has minor league options, is the odd man out in the logjam of bench players when Moore returns. The Mariners’ reasoning could be the chance to get him regular at-bats and playing time that he isn’t getting now. It would also allow him to continue to work on his infield defense, something that has held him back from more extended playing time.

While Kolten Wong has struggled in the first two months of the season and has lost his starting to job to Caballero, he is a left-handed hitter, which provides some balance to the roster. Wong is also owed $10 million this season so the Mariners might not be quick to designate him for assignment, hoping to get some return on the investment.

Notes

• Pollock left Wednesday’s game because of cramping in his legs after stealing second base. He also beat out an infield single earlier in the game. He said he was fine and ready to go before Thursday’s game.

• Eugenio Suarez left Wednesday’s game in the sixth inning with a sore ankle. He was struck by a foul ball off the bat of Julio Rodriguez while in the on-deck circle. Suarez had a nasty bruise, but was back in the starting lineup on Thursday.