PHOENIX — In the Chase Field visiting clubhouse, all was still until a familiar voice could be heard.
Victor Robles came to show his presence and spend some time with his colleagues.
Simply being a part of the team was satisfying. Seeing as I’m on the sidelines, I wouldn’t say I’m happy. Through interpreter Freddy Llanos, Robles stated, “I can’t really do much to help them out.” “However, I’m constantly observing them, enjoying myself, maintaining my health, and doing what they do.”
The Pacers’ victory in Game 3 was revealed by Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault. Particularly in the closing minutes of Wednesday’s nine-point defeat, Daigneault praised the Pacers’ strategy at both sides of the court.
They were far superior than us in the fourth. Give them recognition. After the third, we took control of the match. They beat us in the fourth on both ends,” Daigneault remarked. “We had a great start to the game, and we continued to have a great start in the third. The first and third quarters were dominated by us, but the second and fourth quarters were quite difficult.
“Just touching the grass, just being on the field in cleats made me feel exhilarated,” Bliss said.
Robles and Bliss were injured just a few days apart within the first two weeks of the season. Robles made a catch in San Francisco that was probably the catch of the year in baseball until Athletics rookie Denzel Clarke climbed the wall earlier this week in Anaheim. But in the process of making that catch against the Giants, Robles did significant damage to his shoulder.
His left shoulder, dislocated. The humeral head of the shoulder joint, fractured.
Additionally, general manager Justin Hollander recently stated that he didn’t think Robles would be ready until September, despite the initial optimism that he may return in July.
It might not matter when Robles is able to return because the Mariners are now in free fall.
The hardest thing, in my opinion, is waiting. Robles said, “You can’t really do much, but it’s kind of what you have to do.” “You must wait and have faith in the process. However, that’s essentially what I have to do at the moment.
Robles is working on range of motion and the beginnings of a strength program. He stopped wearing a sling for his arm about two weeks ago.
“It was definitely difficult because you had to sleep in that thing,” Robles said.
The Mariners tried unsuccessfully to replicate what it did with Robles a year ago by claiming Leody Taveras off waivers in early May. That move didn’t work out and the Mariners ended that experiment earlier this week when Taveras was designated for assignment.
Right field for the time being will probably consist of Dominic Canzone, Dylan Moore, and Miles Mastrobuoni until Luke Raley is cleared to return from his oblique injury.
On Thursday night, Raley is expected to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma. He has not played since late April, and during his stay in Tacoma, he is anticipated to play a combination of first base and outfield.
The Mariners’ right fielders are tied for 25th place in baseball with a (minus)-1.2 bWAR thus far this season, according to Baseball Reference.
There’s been a companion for Robles in Peoria as Bliss is in the beginning stages of his recovery from biceps surgery. Bliss was sporting a nice new scar on his left forearm near the elbow where the incision was made to repair his torn biceps.
While Robles spent most of his recovery in a sling, Bliss started in a sling before transitioning to a brace that incrementally over time went from being bent to finally allowing his arm to be fully straight.
Bliss finally rid himself of the brace two weeks ago.
“That was the hardest part is getting your range of motion back in your tendon,” Bliss said. “So I was in a brace for five to six weeks, just working and working and working.”
