White returns from surgery on a mission

PEORIA, Ariz. -- If he wasn’t the happiest guy in Mariners camp on Tuesday, he was certainly near the top. But that’s typically the case anyway for Evan White.

Yet, Tuesday carried more significance than any ordinary day at the ballpark. For the first time in more than 10 months, White was in a starting lineup and playing first base, recovered from the season-ending surgery to repair his left hip flexor last summer.

“It’s been a long time coming,” White said. “I’m just really happy to be out there on the field and just trying to enjoy every second of it.”

White went 0-for-3 with two groundouts and a flyout in Tuesday’s 5-5 tie against the Cubs, but there were positive takeaways by simply returning to the field.

“The feedback you get in the game is so critical,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “You can take all the BP and hit off the machine all you want. The game is the game.”

The roster and positional situation that White returns to is much different than the one he left. Ty France was the team’s MVP last year in huge part due to his emergence as a plus defender at first, the position that White won the Gold Glove Award at as a rookie in 2020. France was also one of the best and most consistent hitters in the American League, slashing .309/.378/.468 (.847 OPS) after taking over the role full-time when White was shelved on May 13.

In the Mariners’ eyes, two elite defenders at an incredibly challenging position is a good problem to have, but it could lead to White trying on a new glove for the first time since his early days at the University of Kentucky. The Mariners, who put a huge premium on defensive versatility, will experiment with White in the outfield this spring, most concentrated on left.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been out there, but at the same time, if I’m asked to do something, I’ve got to do it,” White said. “I have an outfielder’s glove. I haven’t done much yet in Spring Training with it, just shagging and just getting live reads. That’s pretty much it. It’s an opportunity to get on the field. I’m willing to do whatever. I think I can for sure. It’s just a matter of getting reps at it.”

White probably won’t be installed in left field for a Cactus League game until he has a better grasp of the position, but he’s trying to create as many comparable simulations to prepare.

“When we’re out there shagging balls, I’m trying to make it as game-like as possible. I’m reading the ball off the bat or reading swings. I've played first base for so long now it's like you have an idea where everything's out on the field, whereas you got to left field or something like that, it's a little different. Obviously the opposite side of the field than I'm used to being on the stage, so it’s definitely different but it's a good challenge.”

The other challenge is honing a swing more conducive for line drives, which he believes will help foster better results. During his first two years, especially his rookie season, White was focused on creating a more elevated bat path to better tap into his raw power. It led to some of the Mariners’ most massive home runs in that stretch, but also significant swing and miss. Jumping directly from Double-A Arkansas on the final day of 2019 to a starting big league job on Opening Day in ‘20, and the massive uptick in elite pitching, played a part, too.

White’s pitch tracking, 2020-21
Fastballs: .156 BA | .266 SLG | 27.2% whiff rate
Breaking balls: .161 BA | .356 SLG | 46.5% whiff rate
Offspeed: .211 BA | .368 SLG | 44.4% whiff rate

Over his first two seasons, White has slashed .165/.235/.308 (.544 OPS) with 10 homers, 10 doubles, 115 strikeouts and 24 walks in 306 plate appearances across 84 games.

“We all know what Evan can do defensively -- I put him up against anybody in the league,” Servais said. “But in our game, the bat is huge. You’ve got to be productive. There are still things he's working through there ... but his attitude has been great. He continues to work with our hitting guys, and he's going to continue to need to make some adjustments offensively with his swing to get the consistency that he's looking for.”

The Mariners will also closely monitor White’s hip as camp continues. It had been a lingering issue dating all the way back to his high-school days, which is why he eventually opted for surgery two months after he hit the IL last year, which resulted from an awkward dive for a grounder in the gap.

White is probably the most affable player on the roster, and he’s treating the situation with levity. Being sidelined, away from his teammates, in pain and with uncertainty can do that. So, despite the cliché, he’s trying his best to “just have fun.”