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Seattle Mariners

Out of Right Field: The eagle has landed

The handler for a bald eagle that was to fly to the pitcher’s mound during the national anthem pats Seattle Mariners starting pitcher James Paxton, a Canadian, after the eagle chose to land on his shoulder instead, Thursday, April 5, 2018, before the Mariners’ game against the Minnesota Twins in Minneapolis. (Jeff Wheeler / Minneapolis Star Tribune)
The handler for a bald eagle that was to fly to the pitcher’s mound during the national anthem pats Seattle Mariners starting pitcher James Paxton, a Canadian, after the eagle chose to land on his shoulder instead, Thursday, April 5, 2018, before the Mariners’ game against the Minnesota Twins in Minneapolis. (Jeff Wheeler / Minneapolis Star Tribune)
By Gene Warnick The Spokesman-Review

Who knew that bald eagles prefer to nest in a Big Maple?

At least, that’s what happened Thursday before the Mariners played at Minnesota in the Twins’ home opener.

M’s starter James Paxton, whose nickname is Big Maple for his 6-foot-4 frame and Canadian ancestry, was standing in left field as the national anthem was being played when a bald eagle, brought in for a ceremonial flight over Target Field, mistook the left-hander for his handler.

“I guess the eagle knew I was Canadian. I don’t know. But it came for me,” Paxton said.

The eagle, named Challenger, first buzzed by Paxton before landing about 10 feet in front of him. The bird then flew at Paxton, who bent over at the waist. The landing spot was Paxton’s back and then up onto his right shoulder.

“Figured I’m not going to outrun an eagle,” Paxton said. “So might as well see what happens.”

One of the eagle’s trainers ran out to left field to lure away the bird.

“I kind of ducked it so it wouldn’t fly into my face. It was, I think, trying to stand on my back,” Paxton said. “And then I thought, ‘OK, if I can stand up slowly, maybe it’ll just rest on my shoulder. But as I stood up, he kind of fell off my back a little bit and was kind of clawing to try to get back up on my shoulder. But then as I stood straight up, it fell back onto the ground.”

Paxton then resumed his warmup.

“The talons, I don’t think, punctured me. They were kind of sharp on my back. I don’t have any scratches, I don’t believe,” Paxton said. “That’s not the first time I’ve seen a bald eagle, but it was the first time I’ve had one try to land on me.”

The scrape didn’t seem to affect Paxton, who opened with five scoreless innings before the Twins tied the score at 2-2 in the sixth. Minnesota went on to win 4-2.