‘I’ve learned a lot’: After injuries, setbacks, Evan White eyes a healthy road ahead

As Evan White jogged out of Cheney Stadium’s clubhouse and onto the field for pregame warmups, he mentioned to Rainiers manager Tim Federowicz that he “hadn’t felt that great” in the infield in recent weeks.

The 26-year-old, a 2020 AL Gold Glove-winning first baseman, was returning from a roughly-two-month absence after multiple health setbacks over the past 16 months.

Federowicz watched as White took fielding drills from Tacoma coaches. Joined by infielder Abraham Toro at first base, White first tossed routine throws to the bag and later initiated 3-6-3 double plays. He debuted a new defensive stance, one which keeps the first baseman more upright and puts less strain on his recovering hip.

For each of the infielder’s final pregame throws, bench coach Zach Vincej laid down difficult choppers to the front of the mound. One by one, White and his teammates charged and snagged the grounders with ease before firing perfect throws to home.

“No fear!” yelled hitting coach Brad Marcelino.

In fact, all of Tacoma’s infielders were excellent in warmups. And Federowicz, standing behind home plate, was more than wowed by White’s performance.

“He comes up and tells me he doesn’t feel that great defensively,” Federowicz began. “And then I watch him, and he’s, like, better than anybody I’ve ever seen.”

White’s latest return from injury came on Aug. 9, when he played first base and logged two at-bats in a 10-4 loss to Triple-A Las Vegas. He’s played in nine total games this month, going 6-for-27 (.222) with four homers, five walks, and six RBI.

But in comparison to the nine games White played in May prior to another injury setback, his strikeout rate has decreased, and his slugging numbers are up. He’d admittedly like to have more hits, but White has increasingly stabilized a hip injury first suffered in May 2021. Federowicz believes the “health stuff” is behind the Gold Glove winner, and the former first-round pick, for now, sees no trouble in finishing the final months of the season.

“That’s my understanding. That’s my goal,” he said before Saturday’s game. “And I’m not saying I’m 80 percent by any means. I feel like I’m in a good spot. It’s just, I probably won’t be able to steal second base for you, or score from first. Other than that, I feel really good in the box now.”

The unfortunate and unforgiving injury history began in May 2021, when White last appeared in a Mariners uniform. Hip labrum surgery in July of last year knocked White out until this year’s spring training, and upon that return, the pain persisted, he said.

White split reps at first base with now-All-Star Ty France in Peoria, Arizona, though he would soon opt for sports hernia surgery in March. The recovery period was roughly six weeks.

He rehabbed following a successful operation, returning to Triple-A Tacoma’s lineup on May 18. But White was soon plagued again by pain in his hip. He appeared in eight games through May 31 – plus a single appearance on June 14 – but wouldn’t take the field again until Aug. 9.

“As soon as I came back (in May), I started having the same pain again,” White said. “Definitely frustrating. A mentally taxing time. I learned a lot throughout it as a baseball player, but also as a man, and with my faith as well, which is the most important thing to me. A lot of struggle, a lot of crap to deal with, I guess.

“But I’ve learned a lot throughout the process.”

White had always “played low” at first base, in anticipation of an incoming projectile. He would react quickly and “hop” out of each pitch, which put strain on his hip, White said outside Cheney Stadium’s home dugout.

He was never uncomfortable as a defender until the recent injuries and rehab, White admitted. But the gold-glover is now working to play with a higher pre-pitch stance at first base. He wants to be athletic, and on his toes — a challenge he deems exciting.

“Not necessarily hopping or anything like that,” White explained, “but almost like a tennis player anticipating the ball.”

Saturday’s contest with Triple-A Albuquerque featured the debut of his new stance, one he said was “feeling well” after the impressive pregame warm-up.

As for his offensive numbers? White says he’s getting comfortable with his legs in the batter’s box. On Aug. 10 — his second game back from injury — White lifted his first professional home run in over a year. He later homered in consecutive games on Aug. 14 and 16, going on to slash .214/.267/.643 throughout a five-game stretch versus Triple-A Las Vegas (.910 OPS).

“It felt great,” White said of his first 2022 homer. “It had been a really long time. And to be able to get a couple more after that was good. I feel like even when I get out … I’m doing it in a much more hitter-ish way. I’m hitting the ball a lot harder. I’m missing in the right spots of the field, versus not putting great swings on balls and hitting everything soft. It’s been a good feeling.”

White missed two games on Thursday and Friday — the first a scheduled off-day. After experiencing spasms throughout Friday’s warmups, Federowicz and trainers opted to rest the first baseman a second night. He returned Saturday, walking twice and grounding a single to center field in the third inning.

White homered again in Sunday’s 9-8 win over Triple-A Albuquerque, knotting the contest at five in the fifth inning. White’s solo blast — his fourth this month — was hit over Cheney Stadium’s right-field fence.

If all goes well, he’ll finish the season as a regular in the Tacoma lineup. There’s less time remaining than White would like in the current campaign, though he’ll take the offseason to prioritize a healthy showing at spring training in 2023.

Asked how he wants to finish the season: “healthy, strong and confident.”

“Obviously, with the Mariners, the run they’ve been making … I want to be a part of that,” White said. “That’s one of those things that you can’t necessarily control, so you’ve got to go out there and control (what you can). Whether I’m here or there, just be healthy. Play hard and the right way. That’s my goal.”

WEEKLY RECAP

Tacoma split a six-game series with Triple-A Albuquerque, including a thrilling walk-off win over the weekend. Here’s a more-detailed recap of the action:

TUESDAY: A quartet of Rainiers smashed homers (Mason McCoy, Jarred Kelenic, Derek Hill, Evan White), and Tacoma rolled to an 8-4 win behind four scoreless innings from the bullpen.

WEDNESDAY: Albuquerque jumped for three runs in the first pair of innings and evened the series with a 5-2 win. Tacoma’s offense stalled for four hits — Kelenic logged two of them.

The 23-year-old outfielder, back in Tacoma after struggling in the majors, continued a hot stretch at the Triple-A level with Wednesday’s multi-hit showing. He homered in consecutive nights, and after seven games since rejoining the Rainiers, Kelenic had posted a .346/.414/.692 slash line.

THURSDAY: Tacoma regained the series lead, plating three runs in the first inning and coasting to a 9-5 victory. Catcher Luis Torrens made his 2022 Triple-A debut, mashing three doubles.

Tacoma’s lineup also featured outfielder Taylor Trammell and infielder Abraham Toro, both Mariners earlier this season. It featured Kelenic again, too. Kyle Lewis rejoined the Rainiers on Friday after an option to Triple-A Tacoma, and White’s recent slugging spike hasn’t gone unnoticed in Tacoma’s clubhouse.

Asked Federowicz: Is this the best team Tacoma’s had all year?

“Oh yeah, by far,” was his response. “The guys that we’ve added are all guys that have been in the big leagues this year, and some of them have really good track records up there. It’s really exciting to have them on the team.”

FRIDAY: The Rainiers and Isotopes traded wins for a fourth straight night, when Albuquerque evened the series, 6-4. After 13 straight games with a home run — a season-best — Tacoma had gone homer-less in consecutive nights.

SATURDAY: Isotopes shortstop Alan Trejo hit a grand slam in the eighth, and Albuquerque coasted from then on to win, 6-2, and grab the series lead. Trammell was 1-for-3 with a walk and RBI, and McCoy lifted a solo homer in the ninth.

“Our offense has been consistent, scoring some runs,” Federowicz said. “It’s mainly our pitching right now. I’m not too worried about it. We’ve thrown the ball well the last few months. Sometimes, you run into rough patches like this.”

Entering the contest, though, Tacoma pitchers owned a 4.40 earned run average in August, good for second in the Pacific Coast League. The offense’s combined .854 OPS for the month ranked second in the league, too. It’s been a true team effort, Federowicz described, with contributions from all-across Tacoma’s deeper-than-usual roster.

SUNDAY: Drew Ellis ripped a bases-loaded, walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth and delivered a win in the series finale.

A trio of Rainiers homered (White, Marcus Wilson, Toro) and right fielder Forrest Wall added three hits and two RBI. Tacoma overcame a 3-0 deficit and entered their final frame tied at eight before Ellis’ single.

Is this the most fun first-year manager Federowicz has had all season?

“Absolutely,” he said. “Winning’s fun. I try to keep everything light. I hope everyone’s having fun. It really has been fun the last couple of months. I hope we keep it going.”

SHORT HOPS

– Colorado’s organization assigned reliever Jordan Sheffield to Triple-A Albuquerque on Tuesday, in time for their road series in Tacoma. Waiting at Cheney Stadium was lefty starter Justus Sheffield – Jordan’s little brother.

The older Sheffield logged 32 major league relief appearances, debuting last season and halting hitters to a .198 batting average across 31 ⅓ total innings (3.16 ERA). Formerly at Vanderbilt, Jordan was selected by the Dodgers (36th overall) in the 2016 MLB Draft.

– A week before Triple-A Albuquerque ventured to Cheney Stadium for a six-game set with the Rainiers, the Colorado Rockies organization promoted Michael Toglia, a Gig Harbor High School graduate, to the Isotopes.

A first-round pick out of UCLA and Pierce County native, Toglia wasted no time in his ‘homecoming’ to Cheney Stadium – he launched a three-run homer in the first inning of Tuesday’s game which gave Albuquerque a near-instant lead. And it came on Toglia’s first professional at-bat inside his local Triple-A ballpark.

On Thursday, he exploded again for four hits, including a three-run homer in the fifth inning. After nine total games at the Triple-A level, he was slashing .343/.395/.714 with three homers, nine RBI, and 25 total bases.

“That was pretty storybook,” Toglia said of Tuesday’s homer, with family and friends in attendance. “That was cool how it worked out like that. Literally my first at-bat … Everyone was there. I’m glad that happened. … That game I hit a home run (in high school), I think in the exact same spot. Literally think I hit the same hedge.”

– Luis Torrens smacked three doubles in Thursday’s 9-5 win over Albuquerque on Thursday. It marked the 26-year-old’s first Triple-A game action this season since Seattle designated the catcher for assignment on Aug. 11.

Mariners manager Scott Servais spoke with the media shortly after that move, assuming another team was likely to scoop up Torrens on waivers. But to the surprise of the skipper, he cleared them days later and was assigned to Triple-A Tacoma.

“I don’t have to worry about LT back there,” Federowicz said of Torrens. “He catches well. He’s good at calling a game. More so, just helping out these pitchers, and learning what they like to do.”

ON TAP

Sunday’s finale concluded a season-long 13-game homestand for the Rainiers (53-64). They had Monday off, and travel to Salt Lake for a six-game series with the Angels-affiliate Bees.

Tacoma’s first pitch with Triple-A Salt Lake on Tuesday is scheduled for 5:35 p.m. PDT.