Cano Activated Tuesday

The Seattle Mariners now have Robinson Cano returning Tuesday night after being on suspension for eighty games. Last week he spent two games on rehab assignment for triple A Tacoma and then three games in rookie ball Everett on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. He said that he was all set and ready to go.

An offense that did a good job for the first month or so that he was on suspension has had problems the last month scoring runs is welcoming him back. The games he missed the Mariners were 46-34. This means that he was six games above five hundred when he was suspended. It was odd situation because he had just gotten hurt and would have spent some time on the disabled list anyway.

In the last month the Mariners have been playing about five hundred so shows how they did before this skid without Cano. The offense really needs a shot in the arm. In some respects so does the defense though Dee Gordon has played as well if not better than Cano at second base which is not an easy fate.

Casey Lawrence who pitched three innings ineffectively was optioned back to Tacoma as Robinson Cano was activated Tuesday.

We should know in a few hours where Cano will be in the lineup and what position he will start in his first game back. With Gordon nursing pain in his left shoulder wouldn’t be surprised if Cano starts his first game back in his familiar spot of second base. The question to that many are asking whether he will bat third in the batting order. That is a good question. Jean Segura has been hitting well in the third spot since manager Scott Servais changed the batting order when they played the Astros in Houston. There is a possibility that Cano could go to the second spot in the batting order or Segura shifting back to the second spot. Cano could move to the fifth spot in the batting order where Kyle Seager has struggled a good part of the year. This could depend where he is playing as well. The importance is what makes the Mariners a better team offensively. One thing for sure he will likely bat somewhere between second and fifth depending how he  is hitting and other players as well.

Manager Scott Servais feels that Cano will feel uncomfortable as he returns to the team which is understandable. We will have to see how the fans respond when the Mariners return to Seattle to play the Dodgers on Friday. Much of that will depend on how he plays and the Mariners are too. The Mariners win both games remaining in Oakland and he is hitting well contributes to the offensive output I expect that he will get a really good response. Otherwise it will be hard to tell. I am sure everyone is hoping that the Mariners will go on a good win streak in the meantime. Go M’s.