Robles takes next step in recovery, starts rehab assignment 

BALTIMORE -- Mariners outfielder Victor Robles will play the first game of his rehab assignment on Tuesday night at Triple-A Tacoma, continuing his recovery from a dislocated left shoulder he suffered while making a highlight-reel catch in foul territory in early April.

Robles, who remains ahead of schedule in his rehab, went 1-for-2 with a double while hitting third as DH on Tuesday. He's expected to need roughly 40-50 at-bats before returning to Major League action.

“He’s missed a good chunk of the season here, so it’s going to take him a little bit to get his playing legs underneath him -- his sea legs, so to speak,” manager Dan Wilson said. “As [he] gets a little bit closer to getting ready to become active, it’s, ‘How does his swing feel? How is the defense going?’ You’d like to get him as many at-bats as you could because he’s missed so much time.”

When Robles does return, he will be joining what has been a significantly improved offense.

Bolstered by the additions of Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez at the Trade Deadline, Seattle is one of baseball’s hottest clubs, winning nine times during a 10-game homestand before flying east to play a nine-game road trip against the Orioles, Mets and Phillies.

“I think when you look at the guys we added and the personalities they bring, they’ve all been around the game a while,” Wilson said. “Geno brings a lot of energy, in his own right. But they also bring a lot of stability in a lot of ways because they are guys that have been around. They know what to expect.”

That said, if Robles is the version of the player whom the Mariners signed as a free agent in June 2024, he’ll certainly have plenty to add.

After the Nationals designated Robles for assignment in late May last year, following a rough start to the season, he slashed .328/.393/.467 in 77 games with Seattle. He homered four times, drove in 26 runs and scored 41.

“You talk about energy, Vic brings energy,” Wilson said. “I’ve loved having him around. He just lifts people up, that’s the kind of person he is.”

The Mariners and Robles agreed to a two-year, $9.75 million extension before this season. But Robles only played 10 games before his 2025 campaign was halted in the aftermath of a stunning, leaping grab made into the netting in foul territory beyond the right-field line in a game at the Giants’ Oracle Park on April 6.