Cal Lowry’s Injury Woes

This is likely one of the last scenarios Cal Lowry wanted to face in his career.

The Mariners’ All-Star catcher has been placed on the injured list for ten days, following a right oblique strain he sustained last Thursday.

Known as “The Big Dumper,” he aggravated an earlier discomfort that kept him sidelined for three games before he exited during the ninth inning of a walk-off loss against the Astros.

The injury seems to have worsened while he assisted on a relay throw in the eighth. It was really noticeable, especially when he attempted to stop a throw to first base that was shaping up to be a double play.

Mariners manager Dan Wilson commented, “No one wants to go to the IL, especially Cal,” while speaking to reporters before Thursday’s game. “But honestly, I think it’s the smart move right now. It gives him a chance to heal properly. There’s still a long road ahead, and it’s crucial for him to be at 100% before returning.”

This injury adds to what has already been a challenging season for Lowry, who finished as a runner-up for the AL MVP last year.

So far this season, in 41 games, he is batting .161 with a .243 on-base percentage, hitting seven home runs and driving in 18 runs—far from his impressive previous totals of 60 and 125 RBIs.

Interestingly, Lowry had a game-winning hit against the Astros just two nights prior, breaking a streak of 38 at-bats without one.

To fill the gap, Seattle has called up Johnny Pereda from Triple-A Tacoma. He will assist Mitch Garver in handling the demands behind the plate. Garver seemed to have sensed a change was needed after getting replaced by Lowry during extra innings on Wednesday.

“I could see Cal was in discomfort and thought he wouldn’t be able to hit,” Garver said. “But it was tricky since we were facing a lefty in the ninth. Honestly, I was wondering if I could step up or if we should keep that option for Cal.”

“It was a tough choice. We nearly exhausted our bench and tied the game, and suddenly it was like, ‘Oh no. Now what do we do?’”

This kind of uncertainty has been a recurring theme for the Mariners this season. Last year, they achieved a record of 90 wins to 72 losses, the best in the American League West, leading them to the AL Championship Series.

As of Thursday, they hold third place in the division with a 21-23 record, facing weeks ahead without their star player.