Mariner to be Trav for 3 days
Segura returns for rehab stint
A former Arkansas Traveler and All- Star infielder is returning to Dickey- Stephens Park in North Little Rock today.
Seattle Mariners shortstop Jean Segura will begin a rehabilitation assignment with the Travelers today against the Springfield Cardinals as he recovers from a hamstring injury suffered earlier this month.
The Travelers lost their series opener with Springfield 6- 3 on Thursday night at Dickey- Stephens Park. The loss snapped a threegame winning streak.
Segura, 27, was hitting .313 with 1 home run and 3 RBI in 8 games before straining his hamstring against the Houston Astros on April 10 in Seattle.
The Mariners placed Segura, who had been batting leadoff in his first season with the Mariners, on the 10- day disabled list April 11.
Travs General Manager Paul Allen and team president Russ Meeks each received a phone call from Mariners General Manager Jerry Dipoto earlier this week telling them that Segura was going to rehab in Arkansas.
“He wanted to be the first one to say, ‘ Jean’s coming. Jean’s excited.’ ” Allen said. “Jean’s excited to come back to Little Rock.”
The Mariners’ plan for Segura is to have him as the Travs’ designated hitter in today’s game, then play six innings at shortstop Saturday. If he feels well enough, then Segura will play a full game Sunday.
Segura played for the Class AA Travs in 2012 while he was a member of the Los Angeles Angels organization. While with the Travs, he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in a four- player trade that sent All- Star pitcher Zack Greinke to the Angels.
Seattle acquired Segura in November from the Arizona Diamondbacks in a five- player trade that sent starting pitcher Taijuan Walker to the Diamondbacks. Arizona also acquired infielder Ketel Marte and sent outfielder Mitch Haniger and reliever Zac Curtis to Seattle. Curtis is currently with the Travs.
In his only season with the Diamondbacks a year ago, Segura recorded an NL- leading 203 hits. He hit .319 with 20 home runs, 64 RBI with 41 doubles and 33 stolen bases.
The Mariners were considering having Segura rehab in Class A Modesto, but the Nuts were traveling to Visalia for a three- game series today after playing at home against Stockton on Thursday. So the Mariners instead sent Segura to Arkansas.
Segura, a 2013 National League All- Star with the Brewers, is expected to rejoin the Mariners on Tuesday in Detroit for a three- game series against the Tigers.
“We need to make sure he can get up close to 100 percent,” Mariners Manager Scott Servais told MLB. com. “We’re looking forward to having him back out there. Obviously, when he gets in the lineup, it lengthens us even more. We’re anxious to get him back.”
Taylor Motter has filled in at shortstop with Segura out. Entering Thursday’s game at Oakland, Motter, 27, was hitting .257 with 3 home runs, 6 RBI and 4 doubles in 12 games.
Segura will be the second Seattle Mariners player to rehab with the Travs this season. Reliever Steve Cishek pitched a scoreless inning for Arkansas on April 17 in San Antonio in his comeback from microfracture surgery to help repair a torn labrum in his left hip last October. Cishek is currently with Class AAA Tacoma, the Mariners’ top minor league affiliate.
Allen said Thursday night that Cishek is expected to make a second rehab appearance with the Travs this weekend and plans to pitch for Arkansas on Sunday.
When the Travs were affiliated with the Angels, Los Angeles last sent a player to Arkansas in 2014 when starting pitcher C. J. Wilson made one start at Dickey- Stephens Park. Also, reliever Sean Burnett made six appearances with the Travs in 2014.
Allen said Dipoto stressed the importance of helping the Travs receive major- league players on rehab assignments.
“He understands what we’re doing here,” Allen said. “He understands that he can help us operationally, with getting more butts in the seats. But it also creates lifelong fans for him, for the Mariners. He wants our fanbase to become Seattle Mariners fans.
“If the timing is right and if it [ a rehab assignment] can help any of his affiliates, he’s happy to do it.”