Thursday, June 04

SEATTLE -- The prevailing trait that’s been attached to Colt Emerson throughout his ascent to the Majors has been his maturity. But the attribute that’s defined his first two and a half weeks in The Show? 

Effort.

And no moment encapsulated this more than his sliding catch in foul territory that marked the 27th out in Tuesday’s 8-3 win. It wasn’t just that Emerson raced all the way near the wall along the third-base line to make the impressive grab, but that he went all-out despite the Mariners holding a five-run lead.

“Every day is a highlight, if I'm being honest,” Emerson said. “With these guys, this is the group you want to be with. I love this clubhouse, and a lot of great dudes. The camaraderie here is like something I've never seen, so it's fun coming to the field every single day.”

Worst-case scenario, that ball drops and the at-bat resumes with Cooper Criswell facing the Mets’ Brett Baty in an 0-2 count and with no runners on base. Instead, Emerson ensured that the game would end right then and there. 

That capstone moment followed a hustle double into the right-field corner earlier on Tuesday that many would’ve held up at first base. But Emerson went diving into second after dialing up his sprint speed to 27.9 feet per second. For context, 27.0 is league average and 30.0 is elite. 

He also had a last-second bunt single down the third-base line in the fifth inning off right-hander Jonah Tong, upon noticing that Baty, the third baseman, was shaded near the shortstop’s position. That came immediately after a two-run homer from Jhonny Pereda, when Tong was on the ropes. 

And the bunt itself was Ichiro-esque, with Emerson already turning toward first base out of the batter’s box before making contact. His sprint speed on that one was 28.2 feet per second. 

“That's who he is,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said, “and wherever that comes from, it comes from a really good place. I think he really appreciates being in the big leagues, for sure, and he sees every day as a chance to get better or make the team better in some way.”

Emerson’s slash line is up to .255/.333/.549 (.882 OPS) through 57 plate appearances. And the number that really stands out is his slugging percentage, as eight of his first 13 knocks have been for extra bases -- including the homer he crushed for his first career hit.

He’s also seeing 4.31 pitches per plate appearance, well above the MLB average of 3.88, a number that underscores his disciplined approach. 

“That's just my identity,” Emerson said. “At the end of the day, I mean, you're going to be put in a negative spot, but if you get in, battle and you never give up, that's what these guys preach. And that's what this team preaches, and that's what they expect, and coming in these games like that, and high-stress situations or low-stress situations, I'm out there and going to compete and give my all at all times.”

Moreover, Emerson has also played every inning over his first 16 games, all at third base. The Mariners have toyed with the idea of J.P. Crawford moving to the hot corner to allow Emerson to shift to shortstop, the position he’s expected to man longer term after Crawford’s contract expires. 

The pitch was Crawford’s idea, after Emerson was called up on May 17. But it doesn’t appear to be in the immediate cards. And Crawford, despite recognition that Emerson will eventually take his position -- this season or next -- has been a guiding mentor.

It’s been a short stretch for the 20-year-old, but he’s making a strong impression. 

“I'm a very logical person in a baseball space, at the end of the day,” Emerson said. “Some things are harder than others for me. But at the end of the day, getting back to my anchor of, 'This is just baseball, and this is not everything in the world. This isn't life or death.' This is, you're going out there and trying to score as many runs as you can and win a ballgame.”

The Big Dumper is slated to embark on the biggest step of his recovery from a right oblique strain. 

Indeed, Cal Raleigh will begin a Minor League rehab assignment this Sunday at High-A Everett then will transition to Triple-A Tacoma on Monday, where he’ll remain the rest of the week.

The Mariners’ star catcher has hit all of the targeted steps since being placed on the IL for the first time in his career on May 14. And if all continues to go well, a good guestimate for his activation could be on the Mariners’ next homestand, which begins on June 16.

One of the more emotional days on the baseball calendar came on Tuesday, when the sport commemorated Lou Gehrig Day, paying tribute to the Hall of Famer’s enduring strength and all of those in the sport’s community impacted by the disease that took his life.

That was especially true in Seattle, where Mariners video operations assistant Justin Broffman shared a touching story on the grandfather he lost to ALS before he was born. 

Morton Broffman, Justin’s grandfather, was a documentary photographer of the American Civil Rights Movement and other social and political initiatives -- most notably, capturing the iconic image of Martin Luther King Jr. during the Selma-to-Montgomery marches in 1965.

Back in Spring Training, Justin shared this story -- along with one of MLK’s most enduring and inspiring quotes -- during a team-wide meeting, in an effort to further connect with the clubhouse and bring awareness to the ravages of ALS.

Phase 1 of the vote is underway for this year’s All-Star Game in Philadelphia, and the Mariners have virtually their entire starting lineup on this year’s ballot. 

1B Josh Naylor

2B Cole Young

3B Brendan Donovan

SS J.P. Crawford

C Cal Raleigh

DH Dominic Canzone

OF Randy Arozarena

OF Julio Rodríguez

OF Luke Raley

Reminder that only position players are included in the fan vote. Pitchers are selected via a group effort between the player ballot and the Commissioner's Office. 

Fans can VOTE HERE up to five times per day during Phase 1 until 9 a.m. PT on Thursday, June 25. 

Mariners Fireworks Nights

The Mariners are lighting up the sky all summer long with Fireworks Nights presented by T-Mobile. The next postgame show is coming up on June 19 vs. the Red Sox. Check out this year’s themes and the complete lineup at Mariners.com/Fireworks. 

50 Seasons Celebration Night

Don’t miss the biggest event of the summer: 50 Seasons Celebration Night presented by Daktronics. Witness the most iconic gathering of franchise greats as the top 50 Mariners Players are unveiled and honored at T-Mobile Park on Aug. 8. Get your tickets at Mariners.com/50.

Mariners Suites

Are you planning an event this summer? Check out a Mariners Suite. The perfect venue for all kinds of events, from birthday parties and family celebrations to client meetings and company outings. Enjoy customizable set-ups, first-class catering and private entry & parking. Book now at Mariners.com/Suites.

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