Mariners add a free agent: Tucker, the clubhouse dog

SEATTLE -- The Trade Deadline may have passed, but that didn’t stop the Mariners from making a major roster addition for their late-summer playoff push.

The team on Saturday revealed that it adopted a clubhouse dog named Tucker, a 4-year-old mixed Labrador that will be a regular denizen at T-Mobile Park and for occasional road games.

Tucker, as expected, was already a huge hit with players, training staff and fans on social media as he was introduced ahead of a doubleheader against the Angels.

“He just got activated today and will be a great addition to our team,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said.

Tucker comes from OkanDogs, a rescue center in Cashmere, Wash., roughly two and a half hours from Seattle that Servais and his wife, Jill, have volunteered for to help migrate dogs in need of homes from less-populated Eastern Washington to the Puget Sound region.

The idea of adopting one for the clubhouse had been in the works for more than a year, but logistics, personality and much more went into finding the right fit. Okan called earlier this summer when Tucker crossed paths, then Mariners director of Major League operations Jack Mosimann made the trek to Cashmere to retrieve the new furry friend.

“He got scouted very heavily,” Servais said. “We ran people in there, and we cross-checked them. Jack ran in there. We got big-time numbers on this dog. So he went high in the Draft. We're happy to have him as a free-agent addition to our club. Really good. This guy will fetch and play with the guys all day long. You'll see him out here running around the field here the next few days. He's got the clubhouse covered right now.”

How about a player comp for Tucker?

“I think Ty France, kind of laid back, California cool,” Servais said. “There’s some of that, some of Ty France in him.”

Animal rescue has been a passion for the Servais family for more than 30 years. The Mariners host "Bark in the Park" nights at T-Mobile Park as much, or perhaps more, than any team in the Majors, and in June, Jill spearheaded a campaign to invite local shelters to promote adoption.

OkanDogs was among that group, bringing pups on the field during batting practice in what became an adorable distraction. Then, during the game, those OkanDogs pups were available for adoption on the upper concourse, and the team covered the associated fees. There will also be adoptable animals at the Mariners’ remaining two "Bark in the Park" games, on Aug. 23 and Sept. 28.

“We’re just trying to bring awareness to rescues all over the state of Washington,” Servais said. “There are dogs out there for everybody, and we hit a home run on this one. This little guy is great. Our players are excited about it. It’s a nice little distraction for them in the clubhouse. They love the little guy.”

Away from the ballpark, Tucker resides with Mosimann, who oversees all travel logistics, the needs of players and staff and everything in between, all while ensuring their comfort and safety. In many ways, he’s one of the busiest people in baseball, but he also shares a passion for dogs and animal rescue. Now, Mosimann and the rest of the Mariners -- this year and beyond -- will have Tucker cheering them on.