Brendan Donovan bounces back from error, flashes glove, bat in Mariners’ win
SEATTLE – Mariners new third baseman Brendan Donovan made a costly throwing error Saturday night after charging in on a Steven Kwan bunt in the 10th inning of the Mariners’ 6-5 loss to the Guardians.
Early in Sunday’s game, Donovan bounced back with a nifty play on a ground ball near the third-base bag, fielding it cleanly and throwing on the run – practically from the third-base coach’s box – to get Gabriel Arias out at first base to end the second inning.
It was an encouraging sign for Donovan, who had played all over the field during his four seasons in St. Louis, much of it second base and left field. He worked diligently with Mariners infield coach Perry Hill throughout spring training, and the team is confident Donovan will be a suitable solution at third this season.
“Just with any new position, there’s going to be some growing pains,” Donovan said. “But I just try to play hard. I try to really prepare and just play the game. We talk about not playing scared, right? I understand I am going to make mistakes – I don’t want to make mistakes, but that’s how you learn.”
What has to have the Mariners especially encouraged is Donovan’s production at the plate through his first series in Seattle.
The team’s new leadoff hitter, Donovan reached base in his first four plate appearances Sunday. He was hit by a pitch in the leg in his first two times up, and in his third plate appearance he belted a game-changing three-run homer on a line drive that just cleared the wall in right.
On a chilly, 43-degree evening, the long ball was not part of his initial plan in the fourth inning.
“Ironically,” he said, “I was looking at where the third baseman was. I was going to lay a bunt down. It was cold out there. … I was like, ‘I’m not moving real fast today. I don’t think anybody is.’”
In his first plate appearance with the Mariners on Thursday, Donovan became the first player in Mariners history to hit a leadoff homer on opening day.
In 18 plate appearances, he has six hits, four runs, two walks, two hit-by-pitches, four strikeouts and one steal.
“His uniform is dirty every single night,” M’s manager Dan Wilson said. “That shows you the type of player he is and how much of a gamer he is. He’s going to leave it out there every single night … and that’s something the clubhouse appreciates and respects.”