Evan White was reinstated by the Mariners from the 60-Day Injured List on Monday and optioned to Triple-A Tacoma, but his future remains clouded in uncertainty.
On Monday, the Mariners reinstated Evan White from the 60-day Injured List and optioned him to Triple-A Tacoma. He underwent sports hernia surgery back in March and has yet to play in the Majors this year.
White first began a rehab assignment at the Minor League level in May. However, he then suffered a setback and had to twice be pulled off the assignment.
Sadly for the 26-year-old, injuries have been a prevalent issue during his time with the Mariners. Most significantly, he missed all but 30 games last year in large part due to undergoing surgery for a left hip flexor issue.
White arrived in Seattle to great fanfare, after being selected 17th overall in the 2017 draft. The Mariners believed so much in him, they signed him to a six-year major league contract before he’d even played a Major League game.
A surprising deal
The deal guaranteed the first baseman $24 million and included club options for 2026, 2027 and 2028. In the early going it looked like shrewd business, as in 2020 he became the first ever rookie first baseman to win a Gold Glove since the award was created in 1957.
The talent is undoubtedly there but, fair or not, questions will remain about White’s durability. Keep in mind that even during his breakout year he only played 54 games, albeit due to the impact of COVID-19.
Position players are allowed up to 20 days on rehab stints, hence why the Mariners had to activate White once the time was up. However, it helps that he has three minor league option years remaining.
What the future holds for the Columbus, Ohio native is anyone’s guess, with Ty France firmly establish at first base. Aside from his injury issues, he has also struggled with his bat at the highest level.
In this respect, White has a slash line of just .165/.235/.308 in 84 MLB games. He has produced 10 home runs, 35 RBI, 24 walks, one stolen base and 27 runs.
Increasing the concern surrounding White, he has also struggled at the Triple-A level this year. He has plenty to still prove and, as things stand, his future in the Majors remains extremely uncertain.
While there are no guarantees, what is your prediction for White’s career with the Mariners? Will he eventually live up to his potential, be a steady player, or continually suffer with injury issues? Let us know in the comments section below.
