The Mariners Have an Emotional Spark Plug in Leo Rivas
In this story:
Seattle infielder Leo Rivas is getting the most out of his recent return to the Mariners. On Wednesday night, he clubbed just the second home run of his big-league career, one that gave the Mariners a 4-2 win in the 13th inning over the St. Louis Cardinals.
The 27-year-old veteran certainly has lots of incentive, as he looks to gain a footing on the Major League roster. He has shuttled back and forth between Seattle and Triple-A Tacoma multiple times in his career. Rivas spent most of this summer in Tacoma. After being sent down to the minors on May 31, he was finally recalled on September 1.
“I’m just trying to be present and be grateful every day for the opportunity just to be here, even in the big leagues or Triple-A,” Rivas said. “That’s an opportunity that not a lot of people have, so I’m just grateful for that and just take it day by day. … I’m not perfect. I’m still thinking, ‘What if? What if not?’ But I’m trying to focus on just trying to be present every day and just be grateful.”
The Mariners Have Rallied Around Leo Rivas
Despite spending most of the season away from the Major League roster, Rivas was welcomed back with open arms by his teammates. He's well-liked in the clubhouse, and Seattle Mariners manager Dan Wilson commented on how much his fellow players respect Rivas.
“Leo’s such an exceptional person, and you can’t help but root for him,” Wilson said. “He has that impact on people where he makes you a better person by being around him. When you see something like that [game-winning homer] to a player like Leo, it lifts everybody up.”
The Mariners appear to be riding on a wave of emotion right now, and Rivas gave them one more reason to believe they could be a team of destiny. With the Mariners tied with the Houston Astros for first place in the AL West, they will need every shot of adrenaline they can get. Leo Riovas certainly gave them that in one of the team's more dramatic moments of the year.
