Mariners’ Sam Haggerty suffers season-ending Achilles tear
NEW YORK – Sam Haggerty’s baseball season is officially done.
The Mariners’ versatile utility infielder has been diagnosed with a ruptured right Achilles tendon and will need season-ending surgery.
General manager Justin Hollander made the announcement before Monday’s series opener at Yankee Stadium.
“Crushed for Sam,” Hollander said. “He’s been a huge contributor to our club, really since the day he got here. He makes things happen at the plate, on the bases and defensively. He has been a really valuable bench piece for us. I will get you updates on when he’s going to have surgery and where.”
Haggerty suffered the injury Saturday night at Cheney Stadium while trying to make a catch in center field for the Rainiers. The replay shows Haggerty sprinting toward the wall and jumping awkwardly into it before crashing down onto the warning track in obvious pain.
Hollander wasn’t certain if the Achilles popped while Haggerty was running toward the wall, jumping to make the catch or planting his cleat against the wall.
Haggerty had just been optioned back to Tacoma last week. He was playing his second game with the Rainiers after his return. The start to his season was delayed after spring training, dealing with elbow issues and another personal surgery.
“The way Sam plays, he’s always playing hard,” manager Scott Servais said. “He’s always trying to make great plays in the field. I saw a replay of it and it didn’t look good on the replay. I feel horrible for him. He’s a guy you have a history with and we just sent him back to the minor leagues, but I fully expected him to come back and join us again when the opportunity came.”
Haggerty, who turns 30 on Sunday, has played in parts of five MLB seasons with the Mariners, appearing in 191 games. He posted a .234/.315/.354 slash line with 19 doubles, two triples, nine homers, 40 RBIs and 33 stolen bases.
Given the business side of baseball, Haggerty’s future with the organization will be in doubt after the season. He was in his first year of arbitration eligibility in 2024, earning a salary of $900,000. With the recovery from the surgery expected to be almost a year, if not longer, the Mariners will likely not tender him a contract for next season.
Hollander also offered injury updates for two of the Mariners’ young infield prospects currently playing Low-A Modesto.
Shortstop Colt Emerson, the Mariners’ No. 2 prospect per Baseball America, has been diagnosed with a small fracture in his right foot. He fouled a ball off his foot in a game on May 12. After sitting out a few days, he tried to come back and play. But after the pain persisted, he underwent more tests that revealed the fracture.
“We anticipate him being in a (walking) boot for two weeks and then a ramp up,” Hollander said. “That should have him back with a return to play somewhere in the four-to-six week range from today. It’s a tough break for Cole, no pun intended. But he will hopefully be back sooner than the timeline. And if he’s not, it’s not the end of the world. Four weeks is hopefully just a small blip on the season.”
Emerson, 18, posted a .271/.441/.414 slash line over 19 games with four doubles, two homers, 14 RBI, three stolen bases, 19 walks and 13 strikeouts.
Fellow infielder Tai Peete, the Mariners’ No. 12 prospect, is still working his way back from a high-ankle sprain that he suffered on Thursday.
“He’s doing better,” Hollander said. “He’s progressing back to baseball activities. We don’t anticipate a lengthy absence.”
With Emerson out for the immediate future and Peete still not ready to return to action, the Mariners could promote shortstop Felnin Celesten to fill their spot on the roster.
Celesten, who is only 18, is rated as the Mariners’ No. 8 prospect and is considered one of the most gifted players in the organization. After a hamstring injury didn’t allow him to play in the Dominican Summer League last season, Celesten is tearing up the Arizona Complex League in his first professional season. In 10 games, he’s posted a .415/.520/.663 slash line with 17 hits, including three doubles, a triple, two homers and 10 RBI. He’s stolen three bases, drawn nine walks and has struck out only seven times.
But Hollander said that it will be a decision made as a group with the input of president Jerry Dipoto, assistant GM Andy McKay and director of player development Justin Toole.
“He’s certainly dominating,” Hollander said. “It’s always a discussion between Andy, Justin, Jerry and myself on when’s the right time for players. Usually that time doesn’t have to do with something that happened to somebody else. It’s about what’s the right time for that player. So we’re continuing to assess where Felnin’s at and what’s best for Felnin.”