Seattle Mariners OF leaves game after spectacular catch

Victor Robles made an early bid for the catch of the year, but it may have come at a serious cost.

With one out and a runner on first base in the bottom of the ninth inning during a 4-4 game, the Seattle Mariners outfielder made a spectacular grab leaping into the netting in foul territory down the right field line at Oracle Park in San Francisco.

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But Robles dropped to his knees and weakly flipped the ball the back towards the infield as he was visibly shaken up after the catch. He was holding his left arm while being checked on by Seattle’s training staff and was eventually carted off the field.

Robles hurt his shoulder on the play and was undergoing X-rays at the stadium after the game, Seattle Sports Mariners insider Shannon Drayer reported on social media.

Robles hurt his shoulder on the dive into the net. Getting X-rays now in the stadium.

— Shannon Drayer (@shannondrayer) April 6, 2025

“We’ll find out more here as we go,” manager Dan Wilson told reporters postgame. “Just an outstanding catch, outstanding play down there and we’re hoping for the best.”

Center fielder Julio Rodríguez was quick to call out the trainers after seeing Robles make the grab.

“I just noticed that he was in pain and called the trainers immediately,” Rodríguez said via The Seattle Times’ Adam Jude. “He made all that effort, but it was at a high cost.”

On the play, Luis Matos tagged up and advanced from first base to third, but after a challenge by the Mariners, Robles was deemed to be out of play on the catch and Matos had to return to second. However, pinch-hitter Wilmer Flores delivered a two-out, walk-off single to right field off Gregory Santos on the next pitch to send the M’s to a 5-4 loss.

After being designated for assignment by the Nationals last season, Robles delivered a surprising impact in a stellar 77-game showing with the Mariners. The right-handed-hitting outfielder hit .328 with an .860 OPS, 20 doubles, four home runs and 30 stolen bases.

His efforts earned him the role as Seattle’s leadoff hitter and starting right fielder this season.

Robles is hitting .273 with a .624 OPS, three doubles and three stolen bases in 10 games this season.

Four candidates to replace Robles on roster

If Robles is forced to miss time with his injury, the Mariners will be down their starting right fielder. Left-handed-hitting Luke Raley figures to be the logical option to take over in for Robles, at least against right-handed pitching.

As far as who the M’s could call up from Triple-A Tacoma, there’s a handful of candidates that would seem to have a case.

Outfielder Dominic Canzone clubbed a pair of home runs during a three-hit performance with the Rainiers on Sunday. He’s batting .276 with an .861 OPS in eight games for Tacoma. The left-handed hitting outfielder hit .198 with eight homers in 67 games with the big league club last season.

If the Mariners are looking for another right-handed outfield bat, Samad Taylor could be the choice. Taylor is hitting .286 with two home runs in seven Triple-A games. He went 2 for 5 in two appearances with Seattle in 2024.

Switch-hitting infielder Leo Rivas was recently up with the club when Jorge Polanco was on the paternity list, although he did not appear in a game. Rivas has experience at second and third base, which would free up utilitymen Dylan Moore and Miles Mastrobuoni to play more in the outfield. Rivas is hitting .368 with a 1.237 OPS and two home runs in six games with Tacoma. He batted .233 with a .607 OPS in 43 games with the Mariners last season.

First baseman Tyler Locklear also figures to have a shot, although he may not make the most sense positionally as a first baseman. He is a right-handed bat, though, and is hitting .370 with a 1.045 OPS and one home run in seven games with the Rainiers. Locklear, a former top-100 prospect, batted .156 with a .535 OPS and two home runs over 16 games in the majors last season.