Cano felt the hamstring tighten up while running for a pop-up in shallow right field. Neither he nor the Mariners think the injury is serious.
PEORIA, Ariz. — Just when it seemed like the overall health status of the Mariners was trending upward, manager Scott Servais watched All-Star second baseman Robinson Cano exit Sunday’s game against the Reds with senior trainer Rob Nodine in the middle of the top of the second inning. Cano was feeling minor tightness in his left hamstring and the Mariners immediately removed him from the game.
“I don’t think it’s anything serious,” Servais said.
Cano felt the lower part of his hamstring tighten up when he tried to chase down a pop up behind first base in shallow right field. Instead of making it worse, he slowed up when he felt it grab. The ball dropped for a single. The next batter, Tucker Barnhart, pulled a ground ball through the right side. Cano felt the hamstring tighten in his initial move to make a play and then decided to let the dugout know what was going on with his leg.
“I could feel it when I was running for the pop up behind first base,” he said. “That’s why I stopped. I didn’t even see (Daniel Vogelbach) running for the ball. But that’s why I stopped and on the next ground ball I didn’t even move. That’s when I called the dugout.”
Until he felt that tightness, he’d had no other issues with his legs this spring.
“I’ve been good,” he said.
Cano compared the tightness in the hamstring to something he dealt with last season. It kept him out only a couple of days. So is he concerned it isn’t something more?
“No, not really, they did the test and I can stretch both legs the same,” he said. “This is the same thing that it was last year. It was just a few days out and then I kept playing. You are never going to be 100 percent. There was always some discomfort there, but I was able to play.”
And yet, the plan is for him to get a MRI on Monday as a precaution to see if the there is more damage to the hamstring than the initial physical tests showed.
“We just want to make sure what I have,” he said. “We have 2 1/2 more weeks so I hope it’s nothing bad. I just feel tightness and let’s see what happens tomorrow.”