With Cano on DL, Mariners summon Beckham

SEATTLE -- Gordon Beckham, a nine-year Major League veteran who spent the first four seasons of his career as the White Sox starting second baseman, was promoted from Triple-A Tacoma on Monday to fill the roster spot created by Robinson Canó being placed on the disabled list.
Beckham went hitless in four at-bats in Monday's 1-0 makeup game victory in Minnesota, which was the final stop on a three-city, seven-game road trip. The Mariners return home Tuesday to face the Rangers at Safeco Field.
"I'm happy to get a chance, excited about it," Beckham said before the game. "Obviously, [Cano is] hitting third every night, and that's going to be tough to replace. I know I'm going to go out there and play great defense, and I'm hoping a revamped swing is going to pay off for me. Hopefully I can pick up some of the slack that he leaves."
Cano fractured a bone in his right hand in Seattle's 5-4 loss at Detroit on Sunday when he was hit by an 88-mph fastball from Blaine Hardy. The eight-time All-Star is flying to Philadelphia to meet with a hand specialist on Tuesday and could be facing surgery, which would likely sideline him at least six to eight weeks.
This is just Cano's third time on the DL in his 14-year career. He missed 34 games in 2006 with a sprained hamstring and two weeks last year with a right quad strain.

The durable Dominican Republic native has missed just 38 out of 1,821 games since 2007. Since making his Major League debut on May 3, 2005, Cano has appeared in 2,037 games -- the most of any player in that span.
"Any time a team loses its three-hole hitter, it doesn't just have somebody to step in and replace that guy," Mariners manager Scott Servais said. "Guys throughout the lineup and really our whole ballclub really need to step up."
Beckham has started 668 games at second base in his career, though he hasn't been a regular at that position since 2014. The 32-year-old has a career slash line of .239/.303/.369, and he spent most of the past two seasons with the Mariners on a Minor League deal.
Beckham played in 11 games for the Mariners last season as a September callup, going 3-for-17. He hit .262 with nine home runs and 45 RBIs in 328 at-bats last year for Tacoma, and he had a slash line of .300/.412/.500 with four homers and 15 RBIs in 90 at-bats at Triple-A this season.
"There's a lot less hook and pull to his swing," Servais said. "We're seeing him drive many more balls into right field or right-center. It's helped the average and the quality of at-bats has really gone up."

According to MLB Network insider Jon Heyman, Beckham has an opt-out clause in his contract that would have allowed him to become a free agent if he wasn't promoted to the Majors by Tuesday.
Cano's injury left utility man Andrew Romine as the only second baseman on the 25-man roster. Both Romine and Beckham have extensive experience at shortstop and third base as well.