The Seattle Mariners have given up hope that Kyle Lewis will reclaim the form that made him the AL Rookie of the Year just two seasons ago.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Thursday that the Mariners have dealt the 27-year-old outfielder to the Arizona Diamondbacks for outfielder/catcher Cooper Hummel.
Seattle’s first-round pick (No. 11 overall) in the 2016 MLB Draft, Lewis broke out in 2020, hitting 11 home runs and batting .262 in the Covid-shortened season. But injuries have derailed his career. He suffered a knee injury in 2021 and played just 36 games.
Lewis missed the first quarter of the 2022 season recovering from knee surgery, then played just four games before being hit by a pitch and going on the IL with a concussion. He missed the next 46 games recovering from that injury.
Lewis hit just .143 in 18 games in 2022. Still, his talent is not a question.
“Everybody knows what kind of talent Kyle is,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said, per Bob Condotta, Seattle Times when Lewis returned to action in late July.
The 27-year-old Hummel, an 18th-round pick by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2016 MLB Draft, made his big-league debut last season, hitting .176 with three home runs in 176 at-bats.
While no one could have predicted the Mariners would part ways with Lewis just two years after his ROY honors, he has a chance for a fresh start in Arizona.
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.