Mariners option Vogelbach, name Valencia starting 1st baseman
Looks like a platoon is off the table for now.
Dan Vogelbach was poised to be either the Seattle Mariners' starting first baseman or part of a lefty-righty platoon with newly acquired Danny Valencia to start the season. Now, he'll have to wait as he's been optioned to Triple-A Tacoma, according to Greg Johns of MLB.com.
Vogelbach struggled throughout spring training, hitting only .228 with one home run and three doubles. He also struck out 19 times in 57 at-bats, leading all Mariners.
Valencia, despite his own struggles at the plate this spring, will be the primary first baseman to start the season. Valencia slashed .287/.346/.446 with 17 home runs in 130 games with the Oakland Athletics in 2016.
Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said Vogelbach needs to work on his game at Triple-A, but is facing a comparable trajectory to Mike Zunino and James Paxton. Both players spent time in the minors in 2016 before getting a longer crack at the big-league roster.
The 24-year-old Vogelbach retained his rookie status after going 1-for-13 in eight games from mid-September onward. His propensity to strike out may be the biggest concern as he struck out in six of his 13 at-bats.
His minor-league numbers were much more encouraging. Vogelbach was acquired July 20 in a deal that sent pitcher Mike Montgomery to the Chicago Cubs. Between his two clubs at Triple-A, Vogelbach hit .292 with 23 home runs, striking out 101 times compared to 97 walks for an impressive strikeout-to-walk ratio.
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