Garver, Canzone show revamped lineup has plenty of pop

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- With the couched caveat of the competitive context, yes, it’s Spring Training. But Mitch Garver and Dominic Canzone on Tuesday each showed that, despite the offseason departures of key run producers, this new Mariners lineup still packs some punch.

Garver, this winter’s free-agent acquisition, and Canzone, acquired at last year’s Trade Deadline, each hit towering homers during the Mariners’ 10-10 tie against the Giants.

Garver yanked a belt-high fastball from Jordan Hicks in a 2-1 count and sent it sailing out to the left-field berm at Scottsdale Stadium for a two-run blast in the first inning. Canzone followed in the second, aggressively turning on a 2-0 breaking ball over the heart of the plate and pulling it way down the right-field line.

Both were no-doubters.

Garver and Canzone are each in camp in totally different lights, but both are a big part of the Mariners’ plans this season.

Garver is entering his age-33 season, his eighth in the Majors, and is earmarked to be the primary designated hitter and chip in on catching duties in a pinch. He’s a new face, but he also carries an intellectual pedigree and a champion’s credibility after knocking in the go-ahead run in the World Series-clinching Game 5 win for the Rangers last fall.

“Velocity hasn't really been bothering me so far this spring, so this was a good test,” Garver said. “I have a pretty good idea of where the strike zone is. I was able to get into hitters' counts, and just situationally, being able to recognize what he's going to try to do to me and then counter it with box positioning or thoughts or different things like that.”

And for Canzone, this will be his first full big league season, which is easy to forget given that he’s still new to the organization and was a key return in the Paul Sewald trade. Canzone debuted last July 8 with the D-backs, just weeks before the July 31 transaction, then played sparingly off the bench down the stretch as the Mariners were fighting for a playoff berth. He’s among the crowded group that will comprise the corner-outfield spots.

“I felt good at the end of the year,” Canzone said, “but again, kind of going back to [playing] just a different role than the normal. It was kind of my first time pinch-hitting and stuff. So I tried to talk to some of the guys like [Dylan Moore] about their routines and how to prepare.”

Bliss all over the bases

Ryan Bliss’ strong early impression reached another level when he lined three hits, including an RBI double into the opposite-field gap that one-hopped the right-field wall, and stole a base.

Also acquired in the Sewald deal, Bliss entered camp on the outside looking in for the Opening Day roster, but after checking every box with Triple-A Tacoma last year, he’s on the doorstep. It’s just a matter of when and how he fits into the infield alignment. Bliss, the Mariners’ No. 13 prospect per MLB Pipeline, played shortstop on Tuesday but would be a second baseman in the Majors.

“They just kind of told me, 'Hey, like, we went and got and we value you.' And I can kind of sense that as well,” Bliss said. “Just knowing that a team wants you and you know that you can be a part of something big over here, I think, really sells you.”

Kirby’s kinks

George Kirby labored in the first inning and was relieved with the bases loaded before returning for a clean second, when he gave up just one single. He wound up facing nine hitters and dialed up to 95 mph on his fastball while mixing in a healthy dose of breaking balls.

A goal this spring for a strike-thrower who led all MLB starters with a 56.8% in-zone rate will be to generate out-of-zone chase after getting ahead.

“Right now, I've got to work on a little more, dirtballing two strikes and kind of expanding more in those counts,” Kirby said.