The Seattle Mariners’ 2017 season was ravaged by injuries, particularly to the pitching staff. This offseason the Mariners hired Dr. Lorena Martin to fill the brand-new position of director of high performance, meaning Martin is responsible for integrating the team’s medical, strength and conditioning, nutrition and mental skills programs for the purpose of keeping players healthier.
To illustrate the scope of Martin’s task, here’s a list of disabled-list transactions by the Mariners in 2017. It’s a long one:
3/31 – Placed RHP Tony Zych (right biceps surgery) on the 10-day disabled list.
3/31 – Placed RHP Shae Simmons (right elbow strain) on the 10-day disabled list.
3/31 – Placed SS Shawn O’Malley (appendix surgery) on the 10-day disabled list.
3/31 – Placed RHP Steve Cishek (left hip labrum tear) on the 10-day disabled list.
3/31 – Placed RHP Rob Whalen (right shoulder inflammation) on the 10-day disabled list.
3/31 – Placed LHP Drew Smyly (left arm flexor strain) on the 10-day disabled list.
4/4 – Transferred LHP Drew Smyly (left arm flexor strain) from the 10-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list.
4/11 – Placed SS Jean Segura (strained right hamstring) on the 10-day disabled list.
4/26 – Placed RF Mitch Haniger (strained right oblique) on the 10-day disabled list.
4/26 – Placed RHP Felix Hernandez (right shoulder inflammation) on the 10-day disabled list.
4/29 – Placed RHP Evan Scribner (flexor bundle strain) on the 10-day disabled list.
5/5 – Placed LHP James Paxton (left forearm strain) on the 10-day disabled list.
5/6 – Placed RHP Evan Marshall (strained right hamstring) on the 10-day disabled list.
5/7 – Transferred RHP Shae Simmons (right elbow strain) from the 10-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list.
5/10 – Transferred RHP Evan Marshall (strained right hamstring) from the 10-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list.
5/10 – Placed RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (inflammation in right shoulder) on the 10-day disabled list.
5/11 – Transferred RHP Evan Scribner (flexor bundle strain) from the 10-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list.
5/14 – Placed RHP Ryan Weber (right biceps strain) on the 10-day disabled list.
5/16 – Placed 2B Robinson Cano (right quad strain) on the 10-day disabled list.
6/2 – Transferred RHP Ryan Weber (right biceps strain) from the 10-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list.
6/2 – Placed SS Jean Segura (right high ankle sprain) on the 10-day disabled list.
7/24 – Transferred RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (inflammation in right shoulder) from the 10-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list.
7/30 – Placed RF Mitch Haniger (facial laceration) on the 10-day disabled list.
8/5 – Placed RHP Felix Hernandez (right biceps tendinitis) on the 10-day disabled list.
8/8 – Placed RHP David Phelps (right elbow impingement) on the 10-day disabled list.
8/11 – Placed LHP James Paxton (strained left pectoral muscle) on the 10-day disabled list.
8/19 – Placed CF Jarrod Dyson (right groin strain) on the 10-day disabled list.
8/22 – Placed RHP Tony Zych (right elbow flexor bundle strain) on the 10-day disabled list.
9/1 – Placed RHP David Phelps (right elbow posterior impingement) on the 10-day disabled list.
9/4 – Transferred RHP David Phelps (right elbow posterior impingement) from the 10-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list.
That’s 30 transactions. Starting pitchers Felix Hernandez and James Paxton were each placed on the disabled list twice, while fellow starters Drew Smyly and Hisashi Iwakuma each ended up on the 60-day disabled list and were shut down for the season. Everyday players Robinson Cano, Jean Segura (twice), Mitch Haniger (twice) and Jarrod Dyson also saw time on the disabled list. Seven different players ended up on the 60-day disabled list.
The Mariners are banking on Martin being able to reduce the length of this list in 2018.
