Mike Zunino
YEARTEAMGABRHitsRBIDTHRBBSOSBCSEAVGOBPSLUG
2014Growlers5015513281241416430000.1810.2570.297
2015Growlers11338937705820119191230020.1800.2330.383
2016Mongels5017216221852611670000.1280.1800.285
2017Ark Angels309961693049380000.1620.2390.313
2018Ark Angels12444070876824029401730000.1980.2830.450
2019Ark Angels8430533545413017171240100.1770.2300.387
2020Ark Angels00000000000000.0000.0000.000
2021Neon17392845013190000.2050.3260.410
2022Neon10536838756212228261491120.2040.2690.476
2023Neon00000000000000.0000.0000.000
MLB Player Data
DateNewsComment
Mar 6 2024Zunino announced his retirement from professional baseball Wednesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will turn 33 years old later this month, but he struggled mightily in 2023 following a return from thoracic outlet syndrome surgery, slashing .177/.271/.306 with a 44 percent strikeout rate for the Guardians before being released in June. The 11-year veteran will retire with 149 career home runs and one All-Star Game appearance.
Jun 21 2023The Guardians released Zunino on Wednesday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino was designated for assignment Friday to open the door for top prospect Bo Naylor to become Cleveland's primary catcher. Now, he will look to latch on with another club after slashing .177/.271/.306 through 140 plate appearances in the majors this season.
Jun 16 2023The Guardians designated Zunino for assignment Friday, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino has been ice-cold at the plate recently, slashing just .095/.174/.095 since the beginning of June. His release paves the way for Cam Gallagher and David Fry to split reps behind the plate going forward, with top prospect Bo Naylor waiting in the wings. Touki Toussaint was called up from Triple-A Columbus in a corresponding move.
Jun 15 2023Zunino isn't in the Guardians' lineup Thursday against the Padres. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino has't recorded a hit since June 7, so the Guardians will send out David Fry to serve as their backstop Thursday while batting seventh.
Jun 13 2023Zunino will sit Tuesday versus the Padres. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will take a seat for a second straight game after he went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts a walk while starting the first two contests of the Guardians' three-game series with Houston. Cam Gallagher will draw a second consecutive start behind the plate and bat ninth in the series opener with San Diego.
Jun 11 2023Zunino is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Astros. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will get some maintenance Sunday after he caught the first two games of the series while going 0-for-5 with a walk and three strikeouts. Cam Gallagher will catch for starting pitcher Shane Bieber in the finale with Houston.
Jun 4 2023Zunino is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Twins. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino and Cam Gallagher have alternated starts behind the plate over Cleveland's past 11 games, and that trend will continue Sunday after Zunino went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in Saturday's victory.
Jun 2 2023Zunino isn't in the Guardians' lineup Friday against Minnesota, Zack Meisel of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino has been alternating starts with Cam Gallagher since May 23, so his absence from Friday's lineup is likely due to it simply being Gallagher's turn to start and bat ninth.
May 31 2023Zunino will sit Wednesday versus Baltimore. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will take a seat after he went 0-for-3 with a walk, a run scored and a strikeout in Tuesday's 8-5 loss. Cam Gallagher will replace him behind the plate and bat ninth in the series finale with the Orioles.
May 29 2023Zunino is out of the lineup Monday versus Baltimore. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will head to the bench after he went 2-for-3 with a run scored and a strikeout in Sunday's 4-3 walk-off win over the Cardinals. The catcher has now recorded six hits over his last 15 at-bats after he went hitless over his previous 27 opportunities. Cam Gallagher will replace him behind the plate and bat ninth in the series opener against the Orioles.
May 27 2023Zunino is not in the starting lineup Saturday versus the Cardinals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will get a breather after he went 2-for-3 with a run scored in Friday's series opener. After the catcher went hitless for his first 27 at-bats in May, he's secured at least one base-knock in three out of the last four contests, batting .333 with a homer, two RBI and two runs scored over that stretch. Cam Gallagher will take over behind the plate and bat ninth against St. Louis.
May 24 2023Zunino is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the White Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will give way to Cam Gallagher behind the dish Wednesday after starting at catcher in both of the first two games of the series. The 32-year-old backstop went 0-for-4 with a pair of punchouts in Tuesday's 4-2 loss, bringing his batting average down to .170 and his strikeout rate up to a career-worst 44.9 percent for the season.
May 23 2023Zunino went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Monday's 3-0 win over the White Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After beginning May 0-for-27, Zunino has hit safely in each of the last two games. His homer provided the Guardians with some breathing room in Monday's low-scoring win, and it was one of the team's four hits. The catcher has a paltry .178/.282/.356 slash line with three long balls, nine RBI, eight runs scored and seven doubles through 31 contests. Zunino can chip in some power hitting, but he'll always be an anchor on batting average. With Cam Gallagher also having a rough May, Zunino should maintain a starting role behind the dish.
May 21 2023Zunino is out of the lineup for Game 2 of Sunday's doubleheader against the Mets. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino started behind the plate in the matinee and went 1-for-2, recording his first hit through 12 games in May. Cam Gallagher will catch for Shane Bieber in the nightcap.
May 18 2023Zunino is not in the Guardians' lineup for Thursday's tilt against the White Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino is 0-for-27 with 21 strikeouts and one walk so far in May, which is quite the drought even for him. Cam Gallagher -- who is also hitless in 15 at-bats this month -- will do the catching Thursday.
May 14 2023Zunino (neck) will start at catcher and bat seventh in Sunday's game against the Angels. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino was out of the lineup for the past two days due to a tight neck, but he showed enough improvement overnight to check back into the starting nine for the series finale. The 32-year-old backstop is slashing .179/.297/.346 with two home runs, seven runs and seven RBI through 26 games in his first season in Cleveland.
May 13 2023Zunino (neck stiffness) is out of Saturday's lineup against the Angels. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He was scratched from Friday's lineup due to the neck issue and will need at least one more day to get right. Cam Gallagher is starting behind the dish and batting ninth.
May 12 2023Zunino was scratched from Friday's lineup due to neck stiffness, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will take a seat with Cam Gallagher now starting behind the plate for the Guardians and hitting ninth. Zunino should be considered day-to-day.
May 9 2023Zunino is not in the starting lineup Tuesday versus the Tigers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will take a seat after he went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in Monday's contest with Detroit. The 32-year-old is in the the middle of a dry spell at the plate, going 0-for-17 with one RBI and 12 strikeouts over his last five starts. Cam Gallagher will replace Zunino at catcher and bat ninth Tuesday.
May 7 2023Zunino is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Twins. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will be getting a breather after he started behind the plate in the first two games of the series while going 0-for-6 with three strikeouts. Cam Gallagher will step in as the Guardians' starting catcher Sunday.
May 3 2023Zunino is out of the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the Yankees. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino went 0-for-7 with seven strikeouts over the first two games against the Yankees, although he did pick up an RBI in the 3-2 victory over New York on Monday. Cam Gallagher is hitting ninth and starting behind the plate.
Apr 30 2023Zunino is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Red Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino started the first two games of the series and will take a seat for Sunday's finale after he went 2-for-9 with a home run and two RBI. Cam Gallagher will step in behind the plate for Cleveland.
Apr 29 2023Zunino went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 5-2 win over the Red Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino has gone 3-for-21 (.143) over his last seven games after hitting .313 through his first 11 contests this season. The catcher has rarely carried a high batting average -- his career-best mark is .251 in 2017. This season, he's slashing .245/.385/.491 with two homers, five RBI, seven runs scored and seven doubles through 65 plate appearances. The strong line is fueled by a 17.2 percent walk rate and .407 BABIP, so there's a strong chance Zunino regresses to his career norms eventually.
Apr 5 2023Zunino is on the bench Wednesday versus Oakland. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Cam Gallagher will catch in place of Zunino, who went 0-for-3 with a trio of strikeouts and a walk Tuesday. Zunino has always struck out at a high rate, so performances like Tuesday's are unlikely to affect his status as Cleveland's starting catcher.
Apr 2 2023Zunino went 3-for-3 with two doubles, one homer, three RBI and two runs scored in Sunday's 6-5 extra-inning victory over the Mariners. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino took a seat for Saturday's matchup but was back in action for Sunday's series finale in Seattle. He went 1-for-6 with two runs, two walks and two strikeouts over his first two games this year but logged three extra-base hits during Sunday's 10-inning win. The 32-year-old has been inconsistent during his big-league career, but he hit 33 homers in 2021 and will attempt to rediscover his power potential this year following an injury-plagued campaign in 2022.
Feb 27 2023Zunino (shoulder) will start at catcher and bat cleanup in Monday's Cactus League game against the Cubs. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He'll be making his second start of spring training behind the dish after he went 0-for-2 in his debut in Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Reds in the Cactus League opener. Zunino didn't play after mid-June of last season after developing a left shoulder injury that was ultimately diagnosed as thoracic outlet syndrome. The veteran backstop appears to have bounced back well from surgery, however, and after inking a one-year, $6 million deal with the Guardians in December, he's projected to open the upcoming campaign as the team's No. 1 catcher.
Feb 17 2023Zunino (shoulder) could be ready for the Cactus League opener on Feb. 25 against the Reds, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino underwent thoracic outlet surgery in July while a member of the Rays, and missed the second half of the 2022 campaign. He agreed to a one-year, $6 million contract in December, and early reports indicate that the backstop will have no restrictions in Arizona during the Cactus League. Zunino offers more real-life value than fantasy because of his elite defense, but there is a chance for relevancy in the latter because of his impressive raw power.
Dec 13 2022Zunino (shoulder) agreed to a one-year, $6 million contract with the Guardians on Tuesday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino underwent thoracic outlet surgery in July but expects to be ready to go for the start of spring training. His veteran presence will allow the Guardians to ease youngster Bo Naylor into things behind the plate. Zunino really struggled in 2022 before getting injured but slugged 33 home runs in 2021. He also has a superb defensive reputation.
Aug 25 2022Zunino (shoulder) said Thursday that he feels symptom-free and believes he'll be fully cleared in advance of spring training after undergoing thoracic syndrome surgery July 28, Steve Carney of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino won't return from the 60-day injured list in 2022, but he could be cleared to begin baseball activities in the weeks to come and may be in store for a relatively normal offseason if he experiences no setbacks in his recovery from surgery as the offseason unfolds. The 31-year-old will become a free agent this offseason, but he's made no secret that he would welcome a return to Tampa Bay if the interest is mutual. After making his first All-Star team in 2021 while slugging a career-high 33 home runs, Zunino took a step back offensively this season before being shut down due to the surgery. He slashed .148/.195/.304 with a 37.4 percent strikeout rate across 123 plate appearances.
Jul 25 2022Zunino (shoulder) will undergo thoracic outlet syndrome surgery that will force him to miss the remainder of the season, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino wasn't eligible to return from the injured list until at least mid-August after being transferred to the 60-day IL on July 15, but he'll be held out for the remainder of the season due to his shoulder surgery. The 31-year-old hit .148 with five home runs, 16 RBI and seven runs over 36 games in 2022 and is slated to become a free agent during the offseason. Francisco Mejia and Christian Bethancourt should continue to serve as the Rays' top options at catcher unless the team acquires another backstop at the trade deadline.
Jul 15 2022Zunino (shoulder) was transferred to the 60-day injured list Friday, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino has been out since early June with left shoulder inflammation. He recently received treatment on his neck to deal with tingling down his arm and doesn't appear to be close to a return, something this transaction confirms. He'll now be out until mid-August at the earliest. Christian Bethancourt and Francisco Mejia should continue splitting time behind the plate in his absence. Zunino's vacated 40-man roster spot will go to Luis Patino, who returned from his own trip to the 60-day injured list.
Jul 12 2022Rays manager Kevin Cash said that Zunino received a neck treatment Monday to address tingling between his shoulder and finger, Andrew Crane of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The team will wait and see how Zunino responds to treatment over the next few days before determining the next course of action for the catcher, who was initially placed on the injured list June 10 with a left shoulder injury. More than a month later, Zunino has yet to resume baseball activities, so he doesn't look as though he'll be ready to come off the IL immediately following the All-Star break even if the recent treatment he received yields the desired effect.
Jun 16 2022Zunino (shoulder) will receive a Botox shot in an attempt to help in his recovery process, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Manager Kevin Cash said Thursday that it's possible Zunino is dealing with thoracic outlet syndrome, and the team will have to wait 3-to-6 days following the injection to see if it has an impact in his recovery. The backstop will presumably require more than the minimum of 10 days on the injured list, and a recovery timetable is unlikely to be known until the Rays see how Zunino responds to the injection.
Jun 14 2022Zunino isn't making the desired progress in his recovery from a left shoulder injury and will undergo an MRI, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino hit the injured list Friday, meaning he'd be eligible to return next Monday, but this latest update means it's seemingly unlikely that he'll be able to do so. Exactly when he's expected back should become clearer once the results of his MRI are known. Francisco Mejia could wind up spending more time than expected as the team's primary catcher.
Jun 10 2022Zunino (shoulder) was placed on the 10-day injured list Friday, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino had been dealing with an unspecified left shoulder issue in recent days, which may be linked to his back-to-back days off earlier this week or to his 2-for-24 showing over his last eight contests. His diagnosis has now been updated to left shoulder inflammation, an issue which will cost him at least 10 days. Whether or not he'll need a longer absence than that is not yet clear. Rene Pinto was called up to take his place on the roster and will back up Francisco Mejia behind the plate.
Jun 8 2022Zunino isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Cardinals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino went 1-for-6 with a home run, two RBI, a walk and two strikeouts over his last two games, and he'll be out of the lineup for a second consecutive matchup. Francisco Mejia will start behind the plate and bat seventh.
Jun 7 2022Zunino is not in the lineup Tuesday against St. Louis, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino has started more than two games in a row just once this season, and that came back in late April. He started both weekend games against the White Sox, so it will be Francisco Mejia behind the plate Tuesday.
Jun 6 2022Zunino went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run Sunday against the White Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino took Lucas Giolito yard in the sixth inning to record his fifth homer of the campaign. He's collected only 17 hits in 112 at-bats this season, eight of which have gone for extra bases. That has translated to a disastrous .513 OPS, but Zunino still retains the primary duties behind the dish for the Rays.
Jun 3 2022Zunino isn't starting Friday against the White Sox, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino has alternated starts behind the dish recently, and he'll take a seat after going 1-for-4 in Thursday's win over Texas. Francisco Mejia will start at catcher and bat sixth.
Jun 1 2022Zunino isn't starting Wednesday against the Rangers, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino went 0-for-11 with an RBI and six strikeouts over his last four games, and he continues to alternate starts behind the dish. Francisco Mejia will start at catcher and bat eighth.
May 30 2022Zunino isn't starting Monday against the Rangers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino went 0-for-8 with an RBI and three strikeouts over his last three games, and he'll be out of the lineup for the second time in the last three matchups. Francisco Mejia will start behind the dish and bat fifth.
May 28 2022Zunino isn't starting Saturday against the Yankees, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will get a breather after he went 0-for-6 with a strikeout over the last two games. Francisco Mejia will start at catcher and bat seventh.
May 25 2022Zunino isn't starting Wednesday against the Marlins, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino started in the last two games and went 2-for-8 with four strikeouts. Francisco Mejia will start behind the plate and bat seventh.
May 21 2022Zunino isn't starting Saturday against the Orioles, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino has recorded two extra-base hits in his last two games, going 2-for-7 with a home run, a double, three RBI and three strikeouts during that time. Francisco Mejia will start behind the dish and bat eighth Saturday.
May 18 2022Zunino isn't starting Wednesday versus the Tigers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The catcher started each of the first two games of the series, going 1-for-8 with a double while striking out four times. Francisco Mejia is starting behind the plate and will bat fifth as the Rays take on Eduardo Rodriguez and the Tigers on Wednesday.
May 15 2022Zunino is not in Sunday's lineup against the Blue Jays, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He is hitting .241 with two home runs and 11 strikeouts in nine games this month. Francisco Mejia will start behind the dish and hit sixth.
May 11 2022Zunino is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Angels, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He'll retreat to the bench for the series finale while Francisco Mejia receives a turn behind the plate. Zunino caught in both of the first two games of the series and went 1-for-7 with three strikeouts.
May 8 2022Zunino is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mariners. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: For the second time in the series, Zunino will give way to Francisco Mejia behind the dish. Zunino is expected to receive more frequent days off now that Mejia is healthy again after a recent stint on the COVID-19-related injured list, but the former is still expected to see the larger share of playing time at catcher.
May 6 2022Zunino isn't starting Friday against the Mariners. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will get a breather after going 4-for-13 with two homers, seven RBI and three runs over the last four games. Francisco Mejia will start behind the dish and bat eighth.
May 5 2022Zunino went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run in Thursday's 4-3 win over Seattle. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The backstop made the most of his lone hit of the game, going deep to left field with two men aboard in the fourth inning to give the Rays a 4-0 lead. The homer was Zunino's fourth of the campaign, three of which have come over his past six games. He's still batting just .143 on the campaign, but Zunino has perked up a bit by going 4-for-13 over his past four contests.
May 3 2022Zunino went 2-for-2 with a two-run home run and an additional RBI in a 10-7 win over Oakland. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: With Tampa Bay down 5-3 in the ninth inning, Zunino pinch-hit for Kevin Kiermaier with one on and crushed a game-tying homer to center off Oakland reliever Kirby Snead. He came up again in the 10th and singled home another run to increase the Rays lead and pad his stats. Despite the solid showing, Zunino is still slashing just .143/.173/.286 with 19 strikeouts compared to two walks.
May 1 2022Zunino is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Twins. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will get a routine breather after he caught both of the past two days while going 1-for-7 with a solo home run between those contests. Rene Pinto will catch starting pitcher Josh Fleming in Sunday's series finale.
Apr 30 2022Zunino went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 6-1 win over the Twins. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The catcher swatted his first homer of the year in the third inning as he ripped a Dylan Bundy offering deep to left-center field. Zunino has had a rough start to the season at the plate, but after slugging a career-high 33 long balls in 2021, he's capable of going on a power tear at any moment.
Apr 26 2022Zunino was removed from Tuesday's game against the Mariners with a strained left biceps, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino struck out in his lone plate appearance Tuesday before exiting after the fourth inning. The Rays are already without Francisco Mejia (illness), who is on the COVID-19 injured list, leaving Rene Pinto as the only option behind the plate. It doesn't appear to be a serious injury, as manager Kevin Cash said the lopsided score played a part in Zunino's removal, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
Apr 20 2022Zunino is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cubs, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After starting behind the plate in both of the previous two games, Zunino will get a breather for the series finale in Chicago. Francisco Mejia will catch for starting pitcher Drew Rasmussen on Wednesday.
Apr 17 2022Zunino is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the White Sox, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 31-year-old clubbed 33 homers last year but is off to a slow start in 2022, going 1-for-18 with 10 strikeouts through six games. Zunino started Opening Day behind the plate, but he and Francisco Mejia have alternated starts in every game since, and that trend will continue Sunday after Zunino started Saturday's contest.
Apr 15 2022Zunino isn't starting Friday's game against the White Sox, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino has alternated starts behind the plate during the first week of the regular season. Francisco Mejia will start at catcher and bat ninth Friday.
Apr 13 2022Zunino isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Athletics, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino continues to alternate starts behind the dish to begin the regular season, and Francisco Mejia will start at catcher and bat ninth Wednesday. Zunino has gone 1-for-11 with a double, a run, an RBI and seven strikeouts in his first three appearances of the year.
Apr 11 2022Zunino will sit Monday against Oakland, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino and Francisco Mejia, who starts Monday, have alternated starts behind the plate through the first four games of this year. How long the Rays intend to stick to that pattern remains to be seen. Zunino was the clear number one option last season, making 97 starts to Mejia's 64.
Apr 9 2022Zunino isn't starting Saturday's game against the Orioles, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino struck out in each of his three plate appearances Friday, and he'll get a breather a day later. Francisco Mejia will start at catcher and bat sixth.
Apr 2 2022Zunino (shoulder) is starting Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Twins, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino hasn't seen any game action since Tuesday due to shoulder inflammation, but he resumed baseball activities Friday. His uptick in activity apparently went well, as the 31-year-old will serve as the designated hitter and bat second in Saturday's spring matchup.
Mar 31 2022Rays manager Kevin Cash said Thursday that Zunino is dealing with a "cranky shoulder," but the team is hopeful it won't affect the catcher's availability for Opening Day, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino likely picked up the injury at some point during his most recent Grapefruit League appearance against the Twins on Tuesday, when he went 0-for-2 with a walk. Cash said he expects Zunino to pick up some at-bats by Saturday, though it's unclear if the 31-year-old will take his swings in a spring game or live batting practice. At this stage, the shoulder issue doesn't look to be anything that will force Zunino to go on the injured list, but those invested in the backstop will still want to keep an eye on his status.
Mar 19 2022Zunino and the Rays are trying out a new pitch-calling device, according to Adam Berry of MLB.com. The team raved about the system called PitchCom in an attempt to "improve the pace of play and eliminate illegal sign-stealing." ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: On Saturday, Zunino, and pitcher Phoenix Sanders used the system with Brandon Lowe also involved in the communication. Although the pitch-calling device isn't fantasy-relevant, it's another piece of information to consider as the game of baseball evolves. If the pace of play increases with its usage, maybe it leads to changes with balls in play, fatigue, shifts, or other unforeseen outcomes.
Nov 7 2021The Rays exercised the $7 million team option on Zunino for the 2022 season Sunday, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: One of the best defensive catchers in the game, Zunino typically hits around or below the Mendoza Line, but last season he hit .216 with a career-high 33 home runs, making him a strong fantasy option. He probably won't replicate those numbers, but 100-plus games and 20-plus home runs seems likely.
Oct 2 2021Zunino went 3-for-5 with a solo home run and a second run scored in Saturday's 12-2 rout of the Yankees. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The catcher took Jordan Montgomery deep in the third inning, one of five Rays homers on the afternoon. Zunino continues to pad his career-high homer total, but his 33 dingers is set against a lopsided .219/.305/.565 slash line.
Oct 1 2021Zunino will sit Friday against the Yankees, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino and Francisco Mejia have now alternated starts behind the plate for seven straight games. Mejia takes over Friday, but Zunino should return Saturday if the pattern continues.
Sep 29 2021Zunino isn't starting Wednesday's game against Houston, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino went 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts in Tuesday's series opener, but he'll ride the pine for the second time in the last three games. Francisco Mejia will start behind the dish and bat ninth.
Sep 26 2021Zunino is not in the lineup for Sunday's series finale against the Marlins. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino has gone 7-for-11 over three consecutive multi-hit performances and has hit .265 overall in the last 10 games. Francisco Mejia starts behind the dish Sunday.
Sep 25 2021Zunino went 2-for-4 with a single, a homer, two runs scored and two RBI in Saturday's 7-3 win over the Marlins. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino pushed his hit streak to three games Saturday night with a two-run homer off Sandy Alcantara. He followed that up with a statistically rarer event: a simple base hit. A printout of the catcher's 2021 stat line should probably be sent to Cooperstown for how bizarre it is. Zunino has 69 hits on the season. 32 of them (or 46 percent) have left the ballpark, while only 24 have gone for singles. He may not make contact often, but when he does, get the tape measure.
Sep 24 2021Zunino is not starting Friday against Miami, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He'll sit for the second game in a row as Tampa Bay looks to keep his legs fresh heading into the postseason. Zunino is 5-for-7 with a double and run scored during his last two starts, but Francisco Mejia will get the nod behind the plate once again Friday.
Sep 22 2021Zunino isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Blue Jays, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino went 2-for-4 with a double, a run and a strikeout in Tuesday's loss to Toronto, but he'll be out of the lineup for the second time in the last three games. Francisco Mejia will start at catcher and bat eighth.
Sep 20 2021Zunino is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Blue Jays, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino looks to be getting a routine maintenance day after he started the final two games of the Rays' weekend series with the Tigers. Francisco Mejia will fill in for Zunino behind the dish Monday, batting seventh.
Sep 17 2021Zunino is out of the lineup Friday against the Tigers, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino homer in each of the past two games and started the last three contests, so he'll receive a breather Friday. Francisco Mejia will take over behind the plate for Tampa Bay.
Sep 16 2021Zunino went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run and a strike out in Thursday's 5-2 triumph over Detroit. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The All-Star catcher extended Tampa Bay's lead to 5-1 with a 431-foot shot to center in the sixth inning, giving Zunino 31 on the season. Four of Zunino's seven hits this month have left the yard as he continues his all-or-nothing season.
Sep 15 2021Zunino went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 6-3 loss to the Blue Jays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The catcher supplied the only run Tampa Bay managed off Robbie Ray with his fifth-inning blast. Zunino has reached 30 homers in a season for the first time in his career, but it's the only consistent part of his offensive profile -- he's batting .176 (6-for-34) in September and just .203 on the year.
Sep 13 2021Zunino is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Blue Jays, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino appears to have moved into more of a timeshare with Francisco Mejia late in the season; the former will be sitting for the third time in four games. Even with his playing time declining, Zunino has already turned in the one of the best seasons of his nine-year career. His 29 home runs are already a career-high total, and he's just eight RBI behind the personal-best mark of 64 he established in 2017 with Seattle.
Sep 12 2021Zunino is on the bench for Sunday's game against the Tigers, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Consecutive hitless performances have lowered Zunino's average to .161 in the last 10 games. Four of his five hits have gone for extra bases, though, and he has five RBI in that span. Francisco Mejia is catching and batting eighth Sunday.
Sep 10 2021Zunino is not in the starting lineup Friday against the Tigers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino went 3-for-7 with a pair of homers and a triple while starting the previous two games behind the plate. He'll get a rest Friday as Francisco Mejia works behind the plate and bats eighth.
Sep 7 2021Zunino went 3-for-4 with two home runs, a triple and four RBI in Tuesday's 12-7 win over Boston. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The catcher had gone 5-for-38 across 12 games since his last multi-hit effort, but he broke out of the slump with force Tuesday. Zunino extended his career high in homers to 29, and he's added 55 RBI and 55 runs scored through 324 plate appearances. He's rarely a threat to hit for a high average, as his .211 mark is the highest he's had since 2017, but his OPS is a career-best .864 through 94 contests.
Sep 6 2021Zunino is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Red Sox, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino caught both of the final two games of the Rays' weekend series with the Twins, going 0-for-8 between those contests to sink his season average to .201. With the Rays facing a quick turnaround for the Labor Day game in Boston, Francisco Mejia will get a turn behind the dish in place of Zunino.
Sep 3 2021Zunino is not in the lineup Friday against the Twins, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will head to the bench after starting the past two games, which has been a regular occurrence for much of the season. Francisco Mejia will take over behind the plate and bat eighth in Friday's series opener.
Aug 31 2021Zunino will be on the bench for Tuesday's game against the Red Sox, Steve Carney of Sports Radio 620 WDAE reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino hits the bench after starting two games in a row. The Rays have asked him to start three straight games just once thus far in the second half. Francisco Mejia starts behind the plate in his absence.
Aug 28 2021Zunino isn't in the lineup Saturday against the Orioles, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino went 1-for-3 with a three-run homer Friday, but he continues to alternate starts behind the dish. Francisco Mejia will start at catcher and bat eighth.
Aug 27 2021Zunino went 1-for-3 with a three-run homer in Friday's 6-3 win over the Orioles. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino had been out of the lineup in two of the last three games, but he returned to the lineup in Friday's series opener and gave the Rays some insurance with his home run in the seventh inning. Across 15 appearances since in August, the catcher has slashed .280/.308/.780 with seven homers, 14 runs and 12 RBI.
Aug 25 2021Zunino is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Phillies, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Francisco Mejia will get a turn behind the plate after Zunino caught in three of the Rays' past four games. Despite striking out in 40.8 percent of his plate appearances in August, Zunino has remained productive from a fantasy standpoint this month, batting .277 with six home runs, nine RBI and 13 runs in 14 games.
Aug 22 2021Zunino is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the White Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will receive a routine breather for the series finale after he caught both Friday and Saturday, going 1-for-7 with a triple, a walk and two runs between the contests. Francisco Mejia will check in behind the dish Sunday.
Aug 20 2021Zunino is back in the starting lineup Friday against the White Sox after missing Thursday's contest because of a toothache, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino didn't appear in Thursday's win over Baltimore despite manager Kevin Cash saying the backstop was available off the bench. The issue appears to have subsided, as the 30-year-old is set to bat ninth and catch Michael Wacha on Friday.
Aug 19 2021Zunino isn't in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Orioles due to a toothache, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will be available off the bench if needed, but manager Kevin Cash decided to keep the backstop out of the lineup for a second straight game to give him time to recover. The 30-year-old should be considered day-to-day.
Aug 18 2021Zunino isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Orioles, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino has homered in each of his last five games, and he's gone 7-for-17 with five homers, eight RBI and six runs during that time. However, he'll get a day to rest while Francisco Mejia starts behind the dish and bats eighth.
Aug 17 2021Zunino went 1-for-4 with with a two-run home Tuesday against the Orioles. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino took John Means yard in the fourth inning for his 26th homer of the season. He's now hit a home run in five consecutive games -- one long ball came in a pinch-hit appearance -- and racked up eight RBI and six runs scored in that span. With over a month left in the campaign, he now has a career-high for home runs in a season. While he's still striking out a 37.3 percent rate, Zunino is hitting .215 across 279 plate appearances -- his highest mark since 2017.
Aug 16 2021Zunino went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Sunday's 5-4 loss to the Twins. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino has now left the yard in four consecutive starts, and his home run Sunday was his 25th of the season, tying his previous career high from 2017 with the Mariners. With six weeks left in the regular season, the first-time All-Star should have a great chance at becoming the second catcher to join the 30-homer club this season, after the Royals' Salvador Perez achieved the milestone Sunday.
Aug 14 2021Zunino will sit Saturday against Minnesota, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino has homered in three straight games but nonetheless finds himself struck on the bench. Francisco Mejia will catch Michael Wacha in his absence.
Aug 12 2021Zunino went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run in Thursday's 8-1 win over the Red Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino blasted a three-run homer off Yacksel Rios in the eighth inning, extending the Rays lead to seven runs. It was his third home run in six games. The 30-year-old trails just Salvador Perez for most home runs for catchers in all of baseball. He is slashing .204/.296/.536 with 23 long balls, 44 RBI and 44 runs scored in 267 plate appearances.
Aug 11 2021Zunino went 1-for-1 with solo home run Wednesday against the Red Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino entered the game as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning and smacked his 22nd homer. It was only his second home run in 17 games since the All-Star break, though he's managed four doubles and nine runs scored in that span. For the season, Zunino has a .203/.297/.528 line across 263 plate appearances.
Aug 8 2021Zunino is out of the lineup Sunday against the Orioles, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino started the last three contests and will receive a maintenance day for Sunday afternoon's series finale. Francisco Mejia will take over behind the plate for Tampa Bay.
Aug 4 2021Zunino went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 4-3 win over the Mariners. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 30-year-old launched his 21st homer of the season, and did so against his former team. Zunino has hit just ,154 in his last 10 games, but with his power, he figures to remain the Rays' primary catcher for the remainder of the season regardless of how few hits he records. On the season, Zunino is slashing .192/.291/.511.
Aug 3 2021Zunino is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Mariners, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino has gone 4-for-29 with one home run and a pair of doubles since the All-Star break. Francisco Mejia will catch and bat eighth Tuesday.
Jul 31 2021Zunino is not starting Saturday's game against the Red Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran takes a seat after going 1-for-4 on Friday and snapping a nine-game streak without a home run. Switch-hitting Francisco Mejia will start behind the dish with Nathan Eovaldi pitching for Boston.
Jul 30 2021Zunino went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 7-3 win over Boston. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: With his fourth-inning blast, Zunino achieved his fourth 20-homer season in nine major-league campaigns. The power-hitting catcher is batting just .194 on the year, but he's slugging .512 with 39 RBI and 37 runs scored through 242 plate appearances. He also struck out three times Friday, raising his strikeout rate to 36.8 percent.
Jul 28 2021Zunino isn't starting Wednesday against the Yankees, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will retreat to the bench for the second time in the last three games after he went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout Tuesday. Francisco Mejia will start behind the dish and bat eighth.
Jul 25 2021Zunino is not in the lineup Sunday versus Cleveland, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino started the past two games after missing the previous three contests with hip tightness, and he'll receive the day off Sunday after going 2-for-7 with a double. Francisco Mejia will work behind the plate in his place and bat eighth.
Jul 24 2021Zunino (hip) went 1-for-3 with a double in a win over Cleveland on Friday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran backstop sat out the previous three games with hip tightness, but he authored a successful return in Friday's win. Francisco Mejia hit .417 (5-for-12) with two doubles, a home run and five RBI during Zunino's brief sabbatical, however, and he could conceivably begin eating a bit more into his teammate's playing time as a result.
Jul 23 2021Zunino (hip) is starting behind the plate and batting ninth Friday at Cleveland, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino was on the bench the last three games while dealing with tightness in his left hip, but he's ready to rejoin the starting nine Friday. The 30-year-old is 3-for-27 with a home run, a double and five walks in his past 11 contests.
Jul 22 2021Zunino (hip) isn't starting Thursday's game against Cleveland, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will be out of the lineup for a third straight game as he continues to deal with left hip tightness. However, he appeared as a pinch hitter Wednesday and could be available off the bench once again. Francisco Mejia will take over behind the dish and bat eighth.
Jul 21 2021Zunino (hip) is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Orioles, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He'll be on the bench for a second consecutive game while he continues to deal with a tight left hip after picking up the injury in Monday's series opener. Francisco Mejia will log another start behind the dish Wednesday, but the Rays are seemingly hopeful that Zunino will be ready to catch Thursday in Cleveland.
Jul 20 2021Manager Kevin Cash said that Zunino (hip) is available off the bench Tuesday against Baltimore, Steve Carney of Sports Radio 620 WDAE reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino exited Monday's game with tightness in his left hip flexor and remained out of the lineup Tuesday. Given that he could be used off the bench, the backstop figures to have a solid chance of rejoining the starting nine for the series finale, though that decision may not be made until he's evaluated again Wednesday morning.
Jul 19 2021Zunino left Monday's game against the Orioles due to left hip flexor tightness, Bally Sports Sun reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will be considered day-to-day until further notice. Francisco Mejia could see more time behind the dish if Zunino is forced to miss additional time.
Jul 17 2021Zunino is on the bench for Saturday's game against Atlanta. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The All-Star backstop went 0-for-3 with a walk and an RBI on Friday, and he is now hitting .182 with three free passes and five RBI in his last 10 games. Francisco Mejia gets the start at catcher Saturday night.
Jul 11 2021Zunino is not in Sunday's lineup against the Blue Jays, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino tallied his 19th home run of the season Saturday, but he will grab a seat on the bench prior to heading to his first All-Star game later in the week. Francisco Mejia will take over behind the plate and bat eighth.
Jul 10 2021Zunino went 1-for-3 with a walk and a solo homer in Saturday's win over Toronto. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino tied the game with a solo shot off Ross Stripling in the bottom of the third. He's now homered 19 times this season, trailing only Salvador Perez (20) among all backstops. No other catcher has hit more than 14.
Jul 7 2021Zunino isn't starting the second game of Wednesday's doubleheader against Cleveland, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino went hitless with three strikeouts in three at-bats in the first game of Wednesday's twin bill. Francisco Mejia will take his place at catcher and bat sixth.
Jul 2 2021Zunino is not in the starting lineup Friday against the Blue Jays, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will begin the series in Buffalo on the bench after blasting his 18th homer in Wednesday's loss to the Nationals. Francisco Mejia will work behind the plate and bat ninth Friday.
Jun 30 2021Zunino went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer in Wednesday's loss to Washington. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino's third-inning homer marked the backstop's sixth long ball in his last 10 games. While Zunino is slashing an underwhelming .210/.271/.405, his 18 home runs and 36 RBI leave him as a solid fantasy catcher in most formats.
Jun 26 2021Zunino went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk against the Angels on Saturday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino took Jose Quintana deep with two out in the sixth inning for his 16th home run of the season, tying Austin Meadows for the team lead. The veteran catcher continues to provide the long ball for fantasy managers -- he's gone yard in back-to-back games and has a terrific .535 slugging percentage on the year -- but owns just .197 batting average and .291 on-base percentage.
Jun 25 2021Zunino is not in the lineup Friday against the Angels. Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino finds himself on the bench for the second straight contest, with Francisco Mejia receiving another start behind the plate for Tampa Bay.
Jun 24 2021Zunino is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Red Sox, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Francisco Mejia will check in behind the plate for the series finale to spell Zunino, who connected on his 15th home run of the season in Wednesday's 8-2 win. That homer total trails only Salvador Perez (18) among all catchers, which helps alleviate the impact of Zunino's lowly .195 batting average.
Jun 22 2021Zunino is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Red Sox, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino has handled a fairly standard workload for a starting catcher this season, with his 44 starts at the position tying him for 13th in the league. He'll hit the bench in favor of Francisco Mejia on Tuesday.
Jun 21 2021Zunino went 1-for-4 with an RBI ground-rule double in a loss to the Mariners on Sunday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino was productive over the last two installments of the four-game set against his old squad, as he also slugged a two-run home run in Saturday's loss. The power-hitting backstop is sporting a typically unbalanced .193/.282/.507 slash line across 170 plate appearances, with the first two figures significantly influenced by a 40.0 percent strikeout rate.
Jun 19 2021Zunino went 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI in Saturday's loss to the Mariners. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The backstop gave Tampa Bay a 2-0 lead in the second inning with a sacrifice fly. He tacked on another RBI with a solo shot to left field in the fifth frame. Zunino has made the most of his 28 hits this season, as exactly half have left the park. Despite a .192 batting average, he ranks second among all catchers with 14 long balls.
Jun 18 2021Zunino isn't starting Friday's game against Seattle, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will get a breather after he struck out in each of his four at-bats in Thursday's loss to the Mariners. Francisco Mejia will start at catcher and bat seventh.
Jun 16 2021Zunino went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer and a walk in Wednesday's 8-7 loss to the White Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The critical seventh-inning blast, his thirteenth of the season, brought the Rays within two runs. Zunino, a low-average, high-power bat, has been as-advertised at the bottom of the order in 2021. Backup catcher Francisco Mejia has hit a little more consistently, as he has a .245 average versus Zunino's .191, but the latter remains the Rays' preferred backstop for the time being.
Jun 15 2021Zunino is not in the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the White Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in Monday's series opener, Zunino will yield the catching duties to Francisco Mejia on Tuesday. Zunino is hitting just .191/.286/.485 on the season, but he's mashed 12 homers, and his power combined with his excellent defensive abilities should continue to earn him plenty of starts behind the plate going forward.
Jun 13 2021Zunino is not in the starting lineup Sunday against the Orioles, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will get a rest after starting the first two games of the series against Baltimore. Francisco Mejia will work behind the plate and bat sixth Sunday.
Jun 9 2021Zunino isn't in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Nationals, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino reached base three times and drove in a run in Tuesday's win, but he'll get a breather as he continues to alternate starts behind the dish. Francisco Mejia will start at catcher and bat sixth.
Jun 6 2021Zunino is not starting Sunday against the Rangers, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will sit for the second time in three games. Francisco Mejia will work behind the plate and bat eighth.
Jun 4 2021Zunino is out of the lineup Friday against the Rangers. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino started Thursday and will take a seat after going 0-for-2 with a walk and a run scored. Francisco Mejia will work behind the plate Friday as the pair continue to split time at catcher.
Jun 2 2021Zunino isn't in the lineup Wednesday against the Yankees. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will get a day off after he went 0-for-8 with six strikeouts across the last two games. Francisco Mejia will start behind the plate and bat sixth.
May 30 2021Zunino went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and a double in Sunday's win over the Phillies. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino launched his 12th homer of the campaign during the second inning, and the backstop once again displayed his power since his two hits were of the extra-base variety. The 30-year-old backstop is only hitting .222 on the season, though, and most of his value has come through his power numbers.
May 23 2021Zunino is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Blue Jays, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will sit for the third time in four games while Francisco Mejia receives another turn behind the plate. The fact that Mejia has occupied the larger portion of the catching timeshare of late has to be a source of frustration for Zunino's fantasy managers, especially with the 30-year-old currently in the midst of one of the best offensive seasons of his career. Fueled by 11 home runs in just 104 plate appearances, Zunino is holding down a personal-best .904 OPS on the campaign.
May 21 2021Zunino is not in the lineup Friday against the Blue Jays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino is 4-for-20 with nine strikeouts over his past six games, those all four of those hits were home runs. Francisco Mejia will start behind the plate Friday, and the pair should continue to split catching duties for Tampa Bay.
May 20 2021Zunino is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Orioles, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will cede catching duties to Francisco Mejia for the series finale in Baltimore after he was behind the plate for both of the previous two games. Thanks to his usual sky-high strikeout rates, Zunino will remain a liability in batting average, but he's been one of the early fantasy standouts at the catcher position in terms of power production. He's already slugged 10 home runs in just 100 plate appearances this season.
May 18 2021Zunino went 2-for-5 with two, two-run homers during Tuesday's 13-6 win over the Orioles. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 30-year-old was the epitome of boom-or-bust Tuesday, as he went deep twice and struck out in his other three at-bats. Zunino is 4-for-17 with four homers and six RBI in his past five games.
May 14 2021Zunino went 1-for-2 with a solo home run and a pair of walks in Friday's 3-2 win over the Mets. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino blasted a moonshot to left field off Mets starter David Peterson in the eighth inning to get the Rays on the board. The 30-year-old Zunino has homered three times in his last seven games. The catcher has a .218/.291/.551 slash line with eight homers, 16 RBI and 16 runs scored across 86 plate appearances.
May 13 2021Zunino isn't starting Thursday's game against the Yankees, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino had started each of the last six games and went 5-for-20 with two home runs, five RBI, three runs and nine strikeouts during that time. Kevan Smith will start behind the dish and bat seventh.
May 12 2021Zunino went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 3-1 loss to the Yankees. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino's only production of the night came when he took Jordan Montgomery 472 feet to left-center field to open up the bottom of the third. The 30-year-old is slashing just .219/.278/.534 but does have seven home runs, three more than last year's shortened season and just two away from his 90-game total during 2019. Zunino's showcasing some nice power, but he doesn't get on base enough and strikes out too often to warrant any consideration in fantasy lineups.
May 8 2021Zunino is starting Saturday's game against the Athletics. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino should serve as the Rays' primary catcher in the immediate future after Francisco Mejia (ribs) was placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday. In his last two games, Zunino has gone 3-for-7 with a home run, three RBI, two runs and three strikeouts.
May 6 2021Zunino went 2-for-4 with a solo shot and two RBI in Thursday's victory over the Angels. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 30-year-old hit a solo shot off Mike Mayers in the seventh inning, his sixth home run of the season. Zunino is slashing .217/.288/.550; yet, his pop in his bat may be alluring to fantasy owners.
Apr 29 2021Zunino went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 2-0 win over the A's. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Tyler Glasnow and the Tampa Bay bullpen didn't need much help, but Zunino gave them all the run support they would need in the fifth inning with his fifth homer of the year. The catcher has fallen into a timeshare with Francisco Mejia, alternating starts over the last couple weeks, but the arrangement seems to be agreeing with Zunino. Over his last six starts, he's batting .333 (7-for-21) with three home runs and six RBI.
Apr 25 2021Zunino is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Blue Jays, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He'll be on the bench for the third time in four games, suggesting that his grip on the No. 1 catching job may have slipped. Francisco Mejia will start behind the dish in place of Zunino, who has slugged four home runs in 47 plate appearances but is hitting just .190.
Apr 23 2021Zunino is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Blue Jays, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino finds himself on the bench for the second consecutive game for the first time this season. Francisco Mejia receives another start behind the plate for Tampa Bay.
Apr 21 2021Zunino went 1-for-4 with a home run, a walk, two RBI and two runs in Tuesday's win over the Royals. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Tampa Bay racked up 17 hits and 14 runs in the contest, and Zunino got in on the action with a two-run blast in the ninth inning. The homer was his third of the campaign, and he has also tallied eight RBI. Zunino is batting only .189, however, and hasn't hit above the Mendoza Line over a full season since 2018.
Apr 21 2021Zunino is not in Wednesday's lineup against the Royals, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He is hitting .184 with three home runs and a 32.6 percent strikeout rate through 11 games, giving fantasy managers the full Zunino experience in the early going. Francisco Mejia is starting behind the dish and hitting seventh.
Apr 19 2021Zunino is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the Royals, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino remains the primary catcher for the Rays for now, starting 10 of the team's first 17 games, but he and Francisco Mejia have alternated starts over the last six contests. Zunino is hitting .176/.263/.412 so far this season, while Mejia is hitting .333/.370/.542, so it's possible the hierarchy flips at some point in the future.
Apr 17 2021Zunino isn't starting Saturday against the Yankees, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino went 1-for-4 with a double, two RBI, one run and two strikeouts in Friday's series opener in New York, but he'll still take a seat for the second time in the last three games. Francisco Mejia will start behind the plate, batting sixth.
Apr 15 2021Zunino isn't in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Rangers, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will take a seat for Thursday's series finale against Texas after he went hitless with four strikeouts in his last seven at-bats. Francisco Mejia will serve as the starting catcher Thursday, batting eighth.
Apr 12 2021Zunino is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Rangers, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will be getting the night off one day after slugging a home run and a double in the Rays' series finale with the Yankees. Francisco Mejia will get a turn behind the dish while Zunino rests.
Apr 11 2021Zunino went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and a double in Sunday's loss against the Yankees. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino entered this game having recorded just two hits over 16 at-bats through his first five games of the campaign, but he posted his first multi-hit performance while being a dominant presence at the plate. The backstop has two homers, four RBI and a .854 OPS over his first six games of the campaign.
Apr 10 2021Zunino isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Yankees, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino went hitless with a run and one strikeout in Friday's win over the Yankees, but he'll be out of the lineup for the second time in the last three games. Francisco Mejia will take over behind the dish Saturday, batting ninth.
Apr 7 2021Zunino is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Red Sox, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Tampa Bay concludes its series in Boston with a day game following a night game, so Zunino will take a seat after catching both of the past two contests. Backup Francisco Mejia will step in behind the plate to work in a battery with Rays starting pitcher Ryan Yarbrough.
Apr 4 2021Zunino went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in a loss to the Marlins on Saturday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The slugging veteran got a hold of an Elieser Hernandez offering in the second inning and sent it 397 feet to left field to give the Rays a 2-1 lead at the time. The round tripper served as Zunino's first hit of the season after he went 0-for-3 on Opening Day and got a day off Friday.
Apr 2 2021Zunino is not in the lineup for Friday's game at Miami. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino started behind the plate Opening Day and went 0-for-3 with one strikeout and one walk. Francisco Mejia will take over at catcher for the Rays on Friday.
Mar 17 2021Zunino went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run in a Grapefruit League win over the Orioles on Tuesday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The slugging backstop's first round tripper of spring was part of a seven-run second inning for the Rays and served as only his second hit of Grapefruit League play in 16 plate appearances. Zunino has already struck out six times as well, so despite the big blast offering a reminder of the best part of his offensive profile, his issues making consistent contact also appear as prevalent as ever.
Mar 7 2021Zunino has logged four plate appearances across two Grapefruit League games -- half the amount of fellow backstop Francisco Mejia -- drawing two walks and scoring a run. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino is unsurprisingly ceding some time behind the dish to the younger Mejia, who the Rays plan to give a long look this spring as the trade acquisition from the Padres acclimates to the pitching staff and various AL opponents. The veteran Zunino is still ticketed for a solid allotment of playing time in the coming season, but the switch-hitting Mejia, who's distinguished himself at the plate early, is set to serve as an opposite-handed complement and will be given an opportunity to prove he's the future at catcher. Meanwhile, Zunino will be focused on giving a serious boost to a slash line that's featured sub-.200 averages and sub-.240 on-base percentages each of the past two seasons, as well as lowering a strikeout rate that hasn't been under 33.0 percent since 2013.
Dec 16 2020Zunino signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Rays on Wednesday with a 2022 option, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino was reportedly in "deep talks" with the Rays earlier Wednesday, and he's now reached a deal to return to his former team. Tampa Bay declined his $4.5 million team option for 2021 in late October, but the 29-year-old should serve in a timeshare at catcher after striking a new agreement. Zunino played 28 games for the Rays during the shortened 2020 season, recording a career-worst .147 batting average with four home runs and 10 RBI.
Oct 30 2020Zunino will become a free agent after the Rays declined his team option Friday, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino would have been owed $4.5 million in 2021. While that's a low number for a starting catcher, it's not clear Zunino fits that description, as he's hit .161/.233/.323 over the last two seasons. He's generally graded out as a good pitch framer, and he does have respectable power when he does happen to make contact, but there's a lower limit to how often a player can reach base and still be a useful option, and Zunino appears to have found it.
Oct 13 2020Zunino will not start Game 3 of the ALCS against the Astros on Tuesday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino hit a solo homer in the Rays' Game 2 win but won't get to provide an encore in Game 3, at least not at the start of the game. With no off days scheduled for the series, it's no surprise to see the starting catcher get a rest regardless of how he's been hitting. Michael Perez starts behind the plate in his absence.
Oct 7 2020Zunino is out of the lineup Wednesday for Game 3 of the Rays' ALDS matchup with the Yankees, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Michael Perez will check in behind the dish for Zunino, as Rays manager Kevin Cash rolls out a lineup of seven left-handed hitters to counter Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka. Zunino started the first two games of the series, going a collective 1-for-6 with a home run and two RBI.
Oct 6 2020Zunino went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer in Tuesday's win over the Yankees in Game 2 of the ALDS. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino welcomed J.A. Happ to the game by hitting a two-run homer in the second inning. The 29-year-old catcher slashed .147/.238/.360 throughout the 2020 regular season and will look to continue to be a spark plug at the bottom of the Rays batting order.
Sep 27 2020Zunino went 2-for-3 with an RBI single and a run in a win over the Phillies on Saturday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The struggling backstop enjoyed a rare multi-hit effort, just the second of his difficult 2020 season. Zunino's power upside and solid work with the pitching staff keeps him in the lineup, and that's likely to remain in the case in the upcoming postseason when the stakes get exponentially higher.
Sep 22 2020Zunino isn't starting Tuesday's game against the Mets. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino returned from the injured list and started Sunday, but he'll get a breather Tuesday as the Rays prepare for the playoffs. Michael Perez will start behind the dish.
Sep 20 2020Zunino (oblique) was activated off the 10-day injured list Sunday and is starting behind the plate and batting eighth against the Orioles, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino has been sidelined since late August with the left oblique strain, but he'll rejoin the Rays for the final week of the regular season. The 29-year-old has a .133/.235/.383 slash line with four homers through 23 games and should reclaim the primary role at catcher.
Sep 19 2020Zunino (oblique) is expected to be reinstated from the 10-day injured list Sunday, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino traveled with the Rays during their current road trip, and manager Kevin Cash said Saturday that he's in a "good spot." As a result, he could return to action Sunday after missing just over three weeks with a left oblique strain.
Sep 15 2020Zunino (oblique) is taking live at-bats Tuesday and could travel with the Rays during their upcoming road trip, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino has been sidelined since the end of August due to a left oblique strain, but he's been progressing recently. He hit in the batting cage Friday and will advance to live at-bats Tuesday. If all goes well, manager Kevin Cash said that the catcher could travel with the team during the upcoming road trip that runs from Thursday in Baltimore until next Wednesday in New York.
Sep 12 2020Zunino (oblique) hit in the batting cage and did defensive drills before Friday's game against the Red Sox, the Associated Press reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran backstop continues to make progress each day with respect to his activity level. The fact Zunino is up to taking swings in the batting cage certainly speaks well to how his oblique is progressing and lends credence to the notion he could be activated from the injured list in relatively short order.
Sep 10 2020Zunino (obique) took light swings, played catch and did some running Thursday, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Manager Kevin Cash described Zunino's array of activities as a "big step in the right direction" for the backstop, who went on the injured list Aug. 29. Zunino is still expected back before the conclusion of the regular season, but how many games he'll have a chance to get in before the start of the postseason remains firmly up in the air.
Sep 6 2020Zunino (oblique) has been making progress in recent days, but he's still expected to be sidelined for "a little bit longer", Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports. "He's progressing, but it's going to take some time, though," manager Kevin Cash said. "He feels better today than he did three days ago, and he felt better three days ago than he did a week ago, so that's a good thing." ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino is first eligible to come off the injured list Thursday, and it remains to be seen if "a little big longer" means until that point or beyond. The slugging backstop had been slashing just .133/.235/.383 across 68 plate appearances prior to being sidelined, and he's seen Michael Perez go 4-for-8 with six RBI in his last two starts.
Aug 29 2020Zunino (oblique) was placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino wasn't in the Rays' lineup for a second consecutive game with left oblique tightness, and he'll get additional time to recover while on the injured list. Michael Perez should get the bulk of the playing time at catcher, and Kevan Smith was recalled in a corresponding move.
Aug 28 2020Zunino was scratched from Friday's lineup against the Marlins with left oblique tightness, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It's unclear how Zunino suffered the injury, but Michael Perez will step in to handle the catching duties while batting ninth. The severity of the issue isn't yet known, and whether Zunino misses any additional time remains to be seen.
Aug 26 2020Zunino is not in Wednesday's lineup against the Orioles. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He is hitting .133 with three home runs and a 46.9 percent strikeout rate in 45 at-bats this month. Michael Perez will start at catcher and bat eighth.
Aug 25 2020Zunino went 2-for-3 with two doubles in a loss to the Blue Jays on Monday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran backstop still has a long way to go before propping his offensive numbers up to acceptable standards, but going by the extremely low bar he'd previously set this season, Zunino is swinging a hot bat the moment. The 29-year-old is 4-for-15 with Monday's pair of two-baggers, two home runs and four RBI over his last five contests, a proverbial oasis in the desert in a very difficult campaign overall. Zunino's struggles prior to the current stretch were such that his four hits over the last five contests have quickly boosted his season average 45 points, but he still carries an anemic .136 figure over 66 plate appearances.
Aug 23 2020Zunino is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Blue Jays, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will take a seat for the matinee game after starting at catcher in three of the Rays' previous four contests. Michael Perez will step in behind the plate Sunday and will bat ninth.
Aug 21 2020Zunino is not starting Friday's game against the Blue Jays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino hits the bench despite homering in each of the last two games. Michael Perez will start behind the plate in his absence.
Aug 20 2020Zunino went 1-for-3 with a three-run homer and walk in Thursday's 10-5 win over the Yankees. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino extended the Rays' lead to 8-4 with his three-run shot off Luis Avilan in the sixth inning. Although the backstop has an awful .118/.224/.373 slash line, he has at least provided some power with four homers on the campaign.
Aug 19 2020Zunino went 1-for-4 with a solo home run Wednesday against the Yankees. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino took Gerrit Cole deep in the third inning to record his third home run of the season. He's been abysmal at the plate to this point, collecting only five hits -- four of which have gone for extra-bases -- across 54 plate appearances. That has led a to a .104/.204/.313 line to go along with six RBI and six runs scored.
Aug 18 2020Zunino will not start Tuesday's game against the Yankees, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino sits for the second straight game, with Michael Perez again getting the nod behind the plate. It's hardly a surprise to see Zunino lose playing time, as he's hitting .091/.200/.250 on the season.
Aug 16 2020Zunino is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Blue Jays, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino was behind the plate earlier in the day for the resumption of Saturday's suspended game, so he'll just be getting a breather in what's essentially the equivalent of the second half of a doubleheader. Michael Perez will catch for starting pitcher Yonny Chirinos in the nightcap.
Aug 14 2020Zunino is not starting Friday against Toronto, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino began the year at the top of the depth chart behind the plate in Tampa, starting 11 of the team's first 14 games, but his playing time has been understandably decreasing lately as he owns a .504 OPS, a mark right in line with his .544 OPS from last season. He and Michael Perez, who starts Friday, have alternated starts over the last eight contests.
Aug 13 2020Zunino went 1-for-5 with a home run and four RBI on Thursday against the Red Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino took a Marcus Walden offering yard in sixth inning for a three-run home run, extending the Rays lead to 16-5. It was his second long ball of the season, but first in his last 11 starts. The story on Zunino's shortcomings at the plate remain the same, as he's striking out at a 38 percent clip through 45 plate appearances. Overall, he's hitting .103/.222/.282.
Aug 12 2020Zunino is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Red Sox, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino will sit after going 0-for-3 with a walk, two strikeouts and a run scored in Tuesday's win. In his stead, Michael Perez is starting behind the plate and hitting ninth.
Aug 10 2020Zunino isn't starting Monday against the Red Sox. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino has hit just .097/.222/.226 with a solo home run and 14 strikeouts over 13 games this season, and he'll sit for the second time in the past three games. Michael Perez will start at catcher Monday and bat ninth.
Aug 8 2020Zunino isn't in the lineup for the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Yankees. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After recording a hit and scoring a run in the afternoon game Saturday, Zunino will retreat to the bench. Michael Perez will start behind the dish and bat ninth.
Aug 4 2020Zunino is not in the lineup Tuesday against the Red Sox, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino is the clear starter behind the plate for the Rays this season, but, like all catchers, he won't start every day. He'll sit in favor of Michael Perez for just the third time in the season's first 11 games Tuesday.
Jul 28 2020Zunino is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against Atlanta, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino sits for the second time in five games so far this season. Michael Perez will fill in for him behind the plate.
Jul 27 2020Zunino went 1-for-2 with a solo home run and a second run scored in Monday's 14-5 win over Atlanta. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: His third-inning blast off Mike Foltynewicz got the Rays offense rolling and gave Zunino his first long ball of the year. The 29-year-old catcher has started three of four games so far but has yet to play all nine innings in any of them, and the team's willingness to sub him out could end up costing Zunino some counting-stat production by the end of the season.
Jul 25 2020Zunino isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Blue Jays. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After going 0-for-2 with a walk in Friday's season opener, Zunino will head to the bench Saturday. In his absence, Michael Perez will start at catcher, batting ninth.
Jul 15 2020Zunino hit two home runs in a simulated game Wednesday and has been putting in extra work in the batting cages during summer camp ahead of what he hopes will be a bounce-back season, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports. "I've been working a lot with [Mottola] just trying to get everything we were able to sort of get going during spring," Zunino said. "The biggest thing has been timing, but just trying to get caught up in this abbreviated Spring Training to hit the ground running for the season." ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The slugging backstop has plenty of room for improvement after a forgettable season in 2019 that included a .165/.232/.312 line and the lowest barrel percentage (11.6), average exit velocity (88.6 mph) and expected batting average (.194) since his rookie campaign. Zunino reconfigured his swing during spring training with the help of hitting coach Chad Mottola and assistant hitting coach Ozzie Timmons by adjusting his body positioning and base, and he continued working on integrating those tweaks while play was suspended. Zunino's two no-doubt homers Wednesday came off Sean Gilmartin and Shane McClanahan and provided a glimpse of the upside manager Kevin sees in the veteran catcher. "That's a great sign," said Cash. "He can be as dangerous as anybody in our lineup. He has unbelievable strength and bat speed that can flip balls out. We have a lot of guys that are trending in the right direction, and at the right time."
Jun 22 2020Zunino got a batting practice session in at Tropicana Field on Monday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The slugging catcher was joined by several teammates, including Austin Meadows, Willy Adames and Brandon Lowe, in the activity during the ongoing small-group workouts at Tropicana Field. Topkin adds the Rays are likely to start live batting practice on Wednesday, so Zunino should be able to ramp up his preparation for what now appears to be a 60-game regular season with a late-July start date.
May 22 2020Zunino is set to open an abbreviated 2020 season as the starting catcher, but he likely needs to show marked improvement at the plate if the Rays are to pick up his 2021 option, Josh Tolentino of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino's .165/.232/.312 line across 289 plate appearances last season ranked as one of the worst in all of baseball, but the Rays still opted to bring him back on a one-year, $4.5 million deal for 2020. However, while Zunino's No. 3 ranking in defensive runs saved (10) last season and command of the team's pitching staff give him considerable value, Tolentino speculates he'll eventually have to provide more offensive contributions in order to hang onto his roster spot over the long term. Even Zunino's playing time in what would be an abbreviated 2020 season could be in danger if he doesn't get off to a good start offensively, considering manager Kevin Cash will likely have the luxury of holding on to Kevan Smith, Michael Perez and Chris Herrmann due to expanded rosters and a potentially sizable practice squad.
Apr 6 2020Zunino has a firm hold on the starting catcher job despite having struggled at the plate both last season and this spring, Josh Tolentino of The Athletic reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The slugging catcher re-upped with the Rays this offseason on a one-year, $4.5 million deal, but he came into spring camp looking to lay a foundation for significant improvement after a mostly forgettable 2019 debut campaign in Tampa. Zunino slashed just .165/.232/.312 and generated a mammoth 33.9 percent strikeout rate over 289 plate appearances last season, and he followed it up by hitting .158 (3-for-19) over nine Grapefruit League contests before spring training was suspended. Nevertheless, Tolentino feels Zunino will still open the season as the primary catcher, with one of Michael Perez, Chris Herrmann and Kevan Smith set to back him up.
Mar 3 2020Zunino, who slugged a three-run home run in a Grapefruit League win over the Twins on Sunday for his first round tripper of spring, made adjustments to his hitting approach this offseason, Juan Toribio of MLB.com reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Zunino endured the worst offensive campaign of his career in his first Rays season in 2019, as evidenced by his .165 average, 88.6 mph average exit velocity and 11.6 barrel percentage. The veteran catcher worked on aspects such as body positioning in the batter's box and shortening his swing this offseason in an attempt to cut down on last year's 33.9 percent strikeout rate. Zunino still has one whiff in each of his first four spring training games, so he definitely remains a work in progress; however, he seems to have a firm grasp on the starting catcher job to open the season, although he'll presumably need to produce more offensively over the long term in order to hold off veteran Kevan Smith and/or Michael Perez for playing time.
Nov 25 2019Zunino and the Rays agreed to a one-year, $4.5 million contract Monday, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The deal reportedly comes with an option year. After losing Travis d'Arnaud to the Braves in free agency, the Rays are betting on a bounceback season from Zunino. It will have to be quite a significant one, as he hit just .165/.232/.312 in 90 games last season.
Sep 6 2019Zunino went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in a 5-0 victory against the Blue Jays on Friday. ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Any owners in deep enough leagues that make using Zunino a necessity won't be surprised that his second hit of the last week was a homer. Since the beginning of August, Zunino has gone deep in eight percent of his at-bats and with four of his 10 hits. He's also batting just .200 during that stretch. Overall, Zunino is hitting .172 with nine home runs, 32 RBI and 29 runs in 250 at-bats this season.
Aug 24 2019Zunino went 1-for-3 with a two-run single, a walk and a run in a win over the Orioles on Friday.
Aug 10 2019Zunino went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run in Saturday's 5-4 win over the Mariners.
Aug 7 2019Zunino went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and a walk Wednesday against the Blue Jays.
Jul 28 2019Zunino is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Blue Jays, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Jul 28 2019Zunino is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Blue Jays, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 26 2019Zunino is out of the lineup<\/a> for Friday's game at Toronto.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 21 2019Zunino is not in Sunday's lineup<\/a> against the White Sox.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 19 2019Zunino is not starting Friday<\/a> against the White Sox.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 18 2019Zunino is out of the lineup for the first game of Thursday's doubleheader with the Yankees, Juan Toribio of MLB.com<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 17 2019Zunino is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Yankees, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 15 2019Zunino is out of the lineup<\/a> for Monday's game against the Yankees.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 13 2019Zunino is not in the lineup for Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader against the Orioles, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 12 2019Zunino is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Orioles, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 6 2019Zunino went 1-for-2 with a solo home run and a walk in an extra-innings loss to the Yankees on Friday.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 4 2019Zunino is out of the lineup<\/a> for Thursday's game against the Yankees.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 30 2019Zunino is out of the lineup<\/a> for Sunday's game against the Rangers.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 29 2019Zunino is not in Saturday's lineup<\/a> against the Rangers.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 25 2019Zunino is not in Tuesday's lineup agains the Twins, Juan Toribio of MLB.com<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 24 2019Zunino went 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs in a win over the Athletics on Sunday.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 21 2019Zunino isn't starting Friday's game against the Athletics, Josh Tolentino of The Athletic<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 19 2019Zunino is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Yankees, Josh Tolentino of The Athletic<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 15 2019Zunino is not in the lineup Saturday against the Angels, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 12 2019Zunino is out of the lineup<\/a> for Wednesday's game against the Athletics.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 9 2019Zunino is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Red Sox, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 8 2019Zunino is not in Saturday's lineup against the Red Sox, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 6 2019Zunino is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Tigers, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jun 1 2019Zunino is not in Saturday's lineup against the Twins, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 31 2019Zunino (quadriceps) was activated off the 10-day injured list Friday, Josh Tolentino of The Athletic<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 30 2019Zunino (quadriceps) played seven innings in High-A Charlotte's loss to Clearwater on Thursday, going 0-for-3 with three strikeouts.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 29 2019Zunino (quadriceps) felt good after catching seven innings Tuesday in his first rehab game with High-A Charlotte, and he may make only one more appearance for the Stone Crabs, Juan Toribio of MLB.com<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 28 2019Zunino (quadriceps) went 3-for-3 with an RBI double and two walks in High-A Charlotte's win over Clearwater on Tuesday.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 28 2019Zunino (quadriceps) will begin a three-game rehab assignment with High-A Charlotte on Tuesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 27 2019Zunino (quadriceps) has advanced to baserunning and is expected to begin a rehab assignment at some point this week, Neil Solondz of the Rays Radio Network<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 21 2019Zunino (quad) is making good progress and could return in early June, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 10 2019Zunino (quadriceps) was placed on the 10-day injured list Friday, Juan Toribio of MLB.com<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 10 2019Zunino (quadriceps) is expected to be sidelined for 4-to-5 weeks, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 8 2019Zunino exited Wednesday's game against the Diamondbacks with a tight quadriceps, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 8 2019Zunino went 2-for-4 with an RBI single, a run-scoring double and a run in a win over the Diamondbacks on Tuesday.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 8 2019Zunino exited Wednesday's game against the Diamondbacks with a potential injury, Juan Toribio of MLB.com<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 7 2019Zunino is not starting Tuesday against the Diamondback, Steve Carney of Sports Radio 620 WDAE<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
May 7 2019Zunino will catch and bat ninth Tuesday against the Diamondbacks, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times<\/a> reports.Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Jul 22 2018Zunino (ankle) will start at catcher and bat eighth Sunday against the White Sox, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.Zunino will unsurprisingly be included in the Seattle lineup after the team activated him from the 10-day disabled list earlier with the day. With Zunino set to handle the bulk of the work behind the plate moving forward, Chris Herrmann will fade into a backup role and see his starting opportunities take a substantial hit.
Jul 22 2018The Mariners reinstated Zunino (ankle) from the 10-day disabled list prior to Sunday's game against the White Sox.Zunino was cleared to rejoin the Mariners after making back-to-back rehab appearances for Triple-A Tacoma earlier in the weekend, finishing 1-for-5 with an RBI in those contests. The Mariners haven't revealed their lineup for Sunday's series finale with the White Sox, but it's expected to include Zunino, who will take fellow backstop David Freitas' spot on the active roster.
Jul 22 2018Zunino (ankle) started at designated hitter and went 1-for-3 with a sacrifice fly in Triple-A Tacoma's extra-inning loss to Salt Lake on Saturday before lifted for a pinch hitter in the 10th inning.The recovering backstop encouragingly got through back-to-back games without any issues. Zunino tested his ankle in three of his four plate appearances Saturday, as he also hit into a force out and singled in addition to his sacrifice fly. Given his success through his pair of rehab games, Zunino appears to be on track for activation prior to Tuesday's series opener against the Giants.
Jul 21 2018Zunino (ankle) went 0-for-2 in Triple-A Tacoma's loss to Salt Lake on Friday, catching five innings before being lifted for Cameron Rupp.The plan all along was for Zunino to log five frames behind the dish, which he apparently pulled off without any setbacks. He's now slated to play designated hitter on Saturday and will still likely suit for several more games with the Rainiers before activation.
Jul 20 2018Zunino (ankle) will likely need a couple more days before returning from the 10-day disabled list, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.Zunino will embark on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma Friday, as he's slated to catch around six innings Friday and he'll likely serve as the designated hitter Saturday. The catcher went down with an ankle injury against the Angels on July 4 and was expected to miss around 2-to-3 weeks, so he's currently right in the middle of that timetable. Expect to see him back with Seattle next week for a two-game set with the Giants beginning Tuesday.
Jul 14 2018Zunino (ankle) did some work in the batting cage Friday, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.Zunino continues to slowly ramp his activity back up in an effort to be ready for return at the conclusion of the All-Star break. The slugging backstop also continues to throw and hit off a tee, but he's yet to resume running.
Jul 11 2018Zunino (ankle) is throwing and doing light hitting off a tee, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. "He feels good," said manager Scott Servais. "He's not running yet, but he's putting weight on it. I'm very, very optimistic that he'll back when we come out of the break."The backstop continues to work his way back from the bone bruise on his left ankle. Although his level of activity remains modest, Zunino could be ready to join Triple-A Tacoma for a rehab game at some point next week in order to log at-bats before the Mariners kick off the second half against the White Sox on July 20.
Jul 6 2018Zunino (ankle) is expected to be sidelined 2-to-3 weeks, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.Zunino was placed on the 10-day disabled list prior to the Mariners' game Thursday because of an ankle injury. Don't expect to see him back in action until after the All-Star break. In his absence, Chris Herrmann is set to receive a majority of the starts while David Freitas serves as his backup.
Jul 5 2018Zunino suffered a twisted ankle Wednesday against the Angels, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.The severity of Zunino's injury remains unclear, but a trip to the disabled list hasn't been ruled out. More on his status should be released in the near future.
Jul 5 2018Zunino (ankle) was placed on the 10-day disabled list Thursday, TJ Cotterill of The Tacoma News Tribune reports.Reports surfaced earlier Thursday that Zunino's bone bruise could land him on the DL, and the Mariners officially made the move ahead of their series finale against the Angels. Chris Herrmann will take over behind the dish Thursday and David Freitas was recalled to add catching depth.
Jul 5 2018Zunino isn't in Thursday's lineup against the Angels, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.Zunino will sit yet again, although it doesn't appear to be injury-related, as he pinch hit Wednesday. Chris Herrmann will get the call behind the dish and is slated to bat ninth.
Jul 4 2018Zunino is out of the lineup against the Angels on Wednesday, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.Zunino will receive a standard day off for maintenance purposes following four straight starts behind the plate.The 27-year-old has been scuffling at the plate as of late, hitting just .077/.140/.179 over his past 12 games. In his place, Chris Herrmann will catch Mike Leake.
Jun 30 2018Zunino went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in a win over the Royals on Friday.Zunino came close to hitting the second deck on his 454-foot blast to left in the fifth, which extended the Mariners' lead to 3-0 at the time. The slugging backstop had hit Royals starter Ian Kennedy hard in past encounters, but David Gottlieb of MLB.com reports that Statcast recorded Friday's homer as leaving Zunino's bat at 116 mph, making it the hardest-hit Mariners round tripper of the season. The solo shot was a rare ray of sunshine for Zunino in what has mostly been a miserable June, one in which he's hit just .174 and struck out 33 times over 69 at-bats.
Jun 28 2018Zunino is out of the lineup against Baltimore on Thursday, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports.Zunino will receive a standard day off following a pair of starts behind the plate. Chris Herrmann will handle the catching duties while batting seventh in the lineup.
Jun 27 2018Zunino (thumb) returned to the lineup Tuesday against the Orioles and went 0-for-4 with one strikeout.Zunino's bruised right thumb had kept him out of Monday's series opener, but he was back in his usual spot behind the dish Tuesday. The backstop's struggles at the plate continued, however, and he's now hitting just .043 (1-for-23) with a double and a walk over his last seven games.
Jun 26 2018Zunino (thumb) is back in the lineup Tuesday against the Orioles, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.Zunino had missed two of the past three games while battling a bruised right thumb. He returns to the lineup as expected Tuesday, catching and batting ninth.
Jun 25 2018Zunino's absence from the lineup for Monday's game against the Orioles is due to a bruised right thumb, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.Zunino said the thumb was bruised a few days ago. He sat Saturday but was in the lineup Sunday, though he struck out three times. The catcher expects to be able to return to the lineup Tuesday.
Jun 25 2018Zunino is not in the lineup Monday against Baltimore, Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports.Zunino will sit for the second time in three games after a three-strikeout game Sunday. He's hitting just .121 with a 48.6 percent strikeout rate over his last 10 games, numbers which aren't too far from his .194 average and 40.5 percent strikeout rate on the year. Chris Herrmann starts in his place Monday.
Jun 25 2018Zunino struck out in all three at-bats during a loss to the Red Sox on Sunday.The slugging backstop's average now sits at .194, and his enormous 40.5 percent strikeout rate represents a career-high level of futility. The 27-year-old has helped offset his poor numbers elsewhere with 11 home runs overall, but his 56 percent contact rate -- also a career low -- caps his overall fantasy value. Zunino's familiarity with the pitching staff and solid pop are likely to protect him from losing too much playing time, but that could potentially change over time if veteran backup Chris Herrmann, who just recently returned from an extended absence due to an oblique injury, proves himself a viable option.
Jun 23 2018Zunino will sit Saturday against the Red Sox, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.Zunino has just one hit in his last five games. He's hitting just .198 with an ugly .260 on-base percentage, but fantasy owners can at least be happy with his 11 homers, tied for second among all catchers. Chris Herrmann will start behind the plate Saturday.
Jun 17 2018Zunino is out of the lineup Sunday against the Red Sox, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.He'll cede duties behind the dish to David Freitas as the Mariners conclude their homestand Sunday. Zunino recorded his only hits of the four-game series Friday, reaching base on a single and connecting on his 11th home run of the season.
Jun 16 2018Zunino went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and two RBI in Seattle's 7-6 win over the Red Sox on Friday.It was the 11th homer of the season for the Seattle backstop, who has hits in five of his last seven games to go along with two homers and four RBI over that time. He's still hitting just .211 with 70 strikeouts over 161 at-bats, but Zunino remains useful as a decent source of power at a shallow offensive position, as demonstrated by the double-digit homers and the respectable .453 slugging percentage.
Jun 12 2018Zunino is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Angels, Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports.As is often the case, Zunino will head to the bench for Tuesday's night game with an afternoon contest on the docket Wednesday. David Freitas is starting behind the dish and hitting ninth in this one.
Jun 11 2018Zunino went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in a win over the Rays on Sunday.Zunino's clutch 378-foot blast to left with Ben Gamel aboard in the sixth erased a 3-1 deficit. The slugging backstop has hit safely in six of eight June games, a span during which he's blasted a pair of homers overall. However, Zunino ever-present contact issues continue to keep both his batting average (.211) and on-base percentage (.275) at undesirable levels, and after whiffing another two times Sunday, his strikeout rate sits at a career-worst 38.8 percent over 160 plate appearances.
Jun 7 2018Zunino is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Rays, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.Zunino will head to the bench for a breather after starting the previous four games behind the dish. The backstop is hitting .204/.268/.431 with nine homers through 40 games this season. David Freitas will start behind the dish and hit ninth in his stead.
Jun 5 2018Zunino went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer and a walk in Tuesday's win over the Astros.The two-run shot helped ice the game early, putting the Mariners ahead by six in the second inning. The 27-year-old is hitting just .211 and is striking out at a 38.6 percent clip, but he remains on the radar at a shallow offensive position. His nine home runs trail only Gary Sanchez and Salvador Perez among all catchers.
Jun 2 2018Zunino (quadriceps) will start at catcher and bat ninth for Saturday's game against Tampa Bay, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.Zunino was held out of Friday's lineup with quad soreness but was able to make a pinch-hit appearance and remain in the game for extra innings, so his return Saturday was expected. The 27-year-old has a .210/.269/.435 slash line in 124 at-bats this season, and is 4-for-8 with two doubles and three strikeouts over the last three games.
Jun 2 2018Zunino (quadriceps), who was held out of the starting lineup Friday, subsequently entered the game as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the ninth and went 1-for-2 in the extra-innings win over the Rays.Zunino reached on an infield single in his initial at-bat, particularly notable in the sense that it was quad soreness that kept him out of the starting nine Friday. The slugging backstop extended his modest hitting streak to three games in the process and is expected to take back his usual starting spot behind the dish for both of this weekend's games.
Jun 1 2018Zunino had some quad soreness in Thursday's game, but is available off the bench Friday and is expected to start Saturday and Sunday, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.It sounds like general soreness and normal off day for Zunino, but the fact that a specific body part was cited as being sore is worth noting. Nonetheless, he is expected to catch the next two games. David Freitas will start behind the dish and hit ninth in his stead.
May 31 2018Zunino went 2-for-3 with two doubles, a walk and two runs in a loss to the Rangers on Wednesday.Zunino was able to make a little more consistent contact than usual, leading to his first multi-hit effort since May 19. The 27-year-old backstop has displayed his trademark pop during May (three doubles, five home runs), but his 38 strikeouts over 94 plate appearances has helped lead to a paltry .209 average and .277 on-base percentage over that span.
May 27 2018Zunino went 1-for-5 with a game-winning solo home run in the 12th inning during Saturday's victory over the Twins.Zunino put an end to the extra-innings marathon with a 401-foot shot to left, his second homer of the last five games. The slugging backstop has five of his eight round trippers on the season during May, but a career-high 39.3 percent strikeout rate has played a large part in his dreadful .198 average and .239 OBP over 117 plate appearances.
May 27 2018Zunino is out of the lineup Sunday against the Twins, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.Zunino will be rewarded with a rest in the series finale after smacking a walkoff solo home run in the 12th inning of Saturday's win. He'll be replaced behind the plate by Chris Herrmann, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Tacoma on Sunday.
May 24 2018Zunino is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Athletics, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.Zunino will head to the bench for Thursday's afternoon contest after catching all nine innings, and going 0-for-4, in Wednesday night's win. David Freitas will start behind the dish and hit ninth in his stead.
May 23 2018Zunino went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's win over the Athletics.The two-run shot knotted up the score at two in the seventh inning, and the Mariners eventually pushed one more across in the tenth for the extra-inning win. The 27-year-old is hitting just .214 with a .260 OBP, but he's making up for that with strong counting stats. His seven home runs and 17 RBI rank second and fourth, respectively, among American League catchers.
May 20 2018Zunino is not in the lineup Sunday against the Tigers.Zunino will be withheld from the starting lineup following his 2-for-4 effort in Saturday's contest. Zunino has started the team's past seven games but will give way to David Freitas behind the plate Sunday.
May 20 2018Zunino went 2-for-4 with an RBI single and two runs in a win over the Tigers on Saturday.Zunino now has four multi-hit efforts in May, although he's still hitting just .220 during the month. The slugging backstop does have three home runs since May 5, but consistent contact predictably continues to be a problem. After striking out twice Saturday, Zunino has whiffed on multiple occasions in four of his last six games, and his current 36.7 percent strikeout rate is just a 10th of a percentage point lower than the career-high figure he posted in 2017.
May 11 2018Zunino will start the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, but he'll give way to David Freitas for the nightcap, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports.Zunino will be rested for Saturday's second game in order to ensure his availability for James Paxton's start on Sunday. The slugging backstop is hitting just .194 and sports an anemic .254 OBP, but his 14 extra-base hits (two doubles, six home runs) have helped lead to a career-best .516 slugging percentage.
May 10 2018Zunino went 2-for-4 with a solo home run Thursday against the Blue Jays.Zunino hit his sixth home run of the season and has now homered three times in his past six games. The story remains the same for him as he is striking out at just under a 36 percent clip, but has the highest ISO among all catchers with at least 10 plate appearances this season.
May 8 2018Zunino went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run Tuesday against the Blue Jays.Zunino hit his fifth home run of the season, this one coming off Marcus Stroman in the fourth inning. He has continued his all-or-nothing approach at the plate with his strikeout rate sitting at 36.2 percent, even after making contact in all of his at-bats Tuesday. However, he has been productive with the contact he has made, illustrated by his .315 ISO.
May 6 2018Zunino went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run Saturday against the Angels.Zunino's stat-line Sautrday was a perfect illustration of his approach at the plate, as he struck out twice to go along with his home run. He is now striking out at a 40 percent clip this season, an exceptionally high rate even based on his career baseline. However, when he's made contact the ball is going a long way, with four of his nine hits being home runs.
May 4 2018Zunino is out of the lineup against the Angels on Friday, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.Zunino will get a standard day off following four straight starts, including an 0-for-3 day with three strikeouts during Thursday's game. David Freitas will draw a start behind the plate while batting ninth in the order.
Apr 28 2018Zunino went 1-for-4 with a three-run homer in Friday's loss to Cleveland.Zunino took Cody Allen deep in the ninth with two on and two out, bringing the score to within one. Cleveland was able to hold on for the win, but Zunino certainly made it interesting. It was the catcher's third home run in the last five games, and his RBI total stands at seven through eight games. Zunino set career highs last year with 25 homers, 64 RBI and 52 runs. He also set a career high in batting average (.251), but it's worth noting that last year was a major deviation from his .209 career mark. The backstop can accumulate some good home run numbers, but the averages will likely hurt his value.
Apr 28 2018Zunino is out of Saturday's lineup against the Indians, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.He has started seven of the last eight games, so a day off was in order. Zunino is hitting .316 with three home runs and two strikeouts over his last 19 at-bats (five games). David Freitas will start behind the dish and hit ninth.
Apr 26 2018Zunino went 2-for-4 with a double, solo home run and two runs overall in a win over the White Sox on Wednesday.The slugging backstop went deep for the second time in the last three games. All four of Zunino's hits so far in his injury-shortened season have come over the last three contests, and after striking out on seven occasions over his first four games, he's encouragingly whiffed only once in the seven at-bats encompassing the last two nights.
Apr 24 2018Zunino went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in a loss to the White Sox on Monday.Zunino's first round tripper of his injury-shortened campaign opened the scoring on the night for the Mariners, as he blasted a 428-foot shot to left in the fifth that plated Mitch Haniger. The slugging backstop's two hits were his first of the season, following an 0-for-9 over the prior three games. Contact has unsurprisingly been a problem thus far, as Zunino has already struck out seven times over his first 14 plate appearances.
Apr 22 2018Zunino is out of the lineup Sunday against the Rangers, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.After opening the season on the disabled list with an oblique injury, Zunino returned to start behind the plate for the first two games of the series with Texas, going 0-for-8 with five strikeouts in those contests. Zunino will receive a routine day of rest for the series finale, allowing David Freitas to pick up a start at catcher.
Apr 21 2018Zunino (oblique) went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts in his return to the lineup Friday.His struggles at the dish didn't stop the Mariners from winning the game, but it was hardly an auspicious start to Zunino's 2018 campaign. Strikeouts are likely always going to be a part of his profile, but the 27-year-old was able to overcome them last season and post a strong fantasy campaign thanks to a .355 BABIP. It remains to be seen whether he can repeat that performance on balls in play moving forward.
Apr 20 2018Zunino (oblique) was reinstated from the 10-day DL prior to Friday's game against Texas.Zunino went down with a Grade 1 left oblique strain in late March, which has kept him sidelined for the first few weeks of the 2018 campaign. The 27-year-old will likely be inserted into the Mariners' lineup for Friday's series opener after competing in three rehab outings with High-A Modesto earlier this week. In 124 contests last season, Zunino slashed a career-high .251/.331/.509 with 25 home runs and 64 RBI. In a corresponding move, the club optioned Mike Marjama to Triple-A Tacoma, which leaves David Freitas as Zunino's backup.
Apr 19 2018Zunino (oblique), who went 0-for-4 with a walk while catching all nine innings in a rehab game for High-A Modesto on Wednesday, is likely to join the Mariners at some point this coming weekend, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.The rehabbing backstop's anticipated return date comes courtesy of manager Scott Servais, who stated that Zunion would join the team "at some point on this road trip, probably in Texas". Despite the fact he's gone just 1-for-11 in three rehab games, Servais has noted that Zunino is moving well behind the plate and appears "fully ready to go." The Mariners begin a three-game set against the Rangers on Friday night, and it appears the 27-year-old slugger may have a chance to make his 2018 debut in the favorable hitting conditions of Globe Life Park in Arlington at some point during the series.
Apr 18 2018Zunino (oblique) will likely be activated from the 10-day disabled list Friday, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.Zunino has been sidelined all season with an oblique strain. He's slated to catch nine innings in a minor-league game with High-A Modesto on Wednesday, and if all goes well, he should be cleared to rejoin the Mariners before their weekend series against the Rangers begins. Zunino should provide a nice boost to the Seattle lineup, as he knocked 25 homers in 124 games last season.
Apr 17 2018Zunino (oblique) is scheduled to play serve as the designated hitter in a minor-league rehab game with High-A Modesto on Tuesday, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.Zunino reportedly felt good after catching five innings and going 1-for-3 with a double in his first rehab game with Modesto on Monday, so he'll continue to ramp things up as he inches closer to making his 2018 big-league debut. If the backstop gets through Tuesday's game with no issues, he'll catch nine innings Wednesday before potentially rejoining the Mariners shortly thereafter. In the meantime, Mike Marjama and David Freitas will continue to split time behind the dish with Zunino out.
Apr 16 2018Zunino (oblique) went 1-for-3 with a double and caught five innings Monday in his first rehab appearance at High-A Modesto.Zunino is progressing as expected after successfully catching five innings and recording a double in Monday's matchup. If all goes according to plan, he should be inserted into the lineup as the the designated hitter in his second rehab game before progressing to catching a full game in the final contest of his rehab stint.
Apr 15 2018Zunino (oblique) will head to High-A Modesto to begin a 2-3 game rehab stint, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.Zunino heading to Modesto is merely for logistical reasons, as the Nuts will be at home for the entirety of his projected rehab stint. The team plans for Zunino to catch 5-6 innings in the first game, serve as the DH in the second and catch a full nine innings in the final contest. Should everything play out as planned, Zunino would be actived by the Mariners later in the week. In the fantasy realm, Zunino can provide power numbers, but the career .209 hitter is typically a batting average drain. Last season was the lone exception, as Zunino managed a .251 mark across 124 games.
Apr 14 2018Zunino (oblique) will begin his rehab assignment Monday, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.It's unclear which level he will rehab at, but he may only need two minor-league games before he can rejoin the big-league club, so there's a chance he comes off the DL in the middle of next week. David Freitas (Saturday's No. 9 hitter) and Mike Marjama will continue to split time behind the plate while Zunino is rehabbing in the minors.
Apr 13 2018Zunino (oblique) will likely need two minor-league rehab appearances and may return next week, Core Brock of The Athletic Seattle reports.The specifics of the rehab assignment are not yet known, but Zunino will need to get some in-game swings and work behind the plate before coming off the disabled list. A more specific timetable should become available once the 27-year-old's rehab assignment is set, leaving Mike Marjama and David Freitas to continue splitting catching duties for the Mariners.
Apr 11 2018Zunino (oblique) hit off a tee and played catch Tuesday, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.Zunino saw action in simulated games last week, and Tuesday's workout was another positive step for the rehabbing backstop. Assuming no setbacks, he should continue increasing his workload during the remainder of the week. Manager Scott Servais has stated he considers Zunino "a tick behind" the recovery pace of outfielder Ben Gamel, who's already played in five minor-league rehab games and is slated to to return Friday for the beginning of a seven-game homestand.
Apr 9 2018Zunino (oblique) is expected to take part in an on-field workout Monday, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.Zunino's activity level during the session should provide the Mariners with a good gauge of the catcher's health as he works back from a strained left oblique muscle, which has prevented him from playing this season. If Zunino checks out fine during the workout, he would likely increase his activities in the days to follow and could be a candidate to return over the weekend, when the Mariners will host the Athletics for a three-game series.
Apr 5 2018Zunino (oblique) is not expected to return over the weekend, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.Zunino was originally hoping to return from the disabled list over the weekend, but after consulting with the Mariners' medical staff, the team decided to play it safe and slow down his rehab a little. Manager Scott Servais added that Zunino didn't suffer any setbacks and Seattle is just being careful with the backstop. An updated timetable for his return should come forth once he's able to catch a minor-league game. In the meantime, Mike Marjama and David Freitas will work behind the plate until Zunino is cleared to return.
Apr 4 2018Zunino (oblique) is expected to catch a minor-league game later this week before potentially returning to the Mariners this weekend, Shannon Drayer of MyNorthwest.com reports.Zunino didn't experience any issues during a simulated game Tuesday and will get the day off before heading to one of Seattle's minor-league affiliates for a game behind the plate. At this point, it seems likely that Zunino will be able to take the field with the Mariners sometime in Minnesota this weekend, as he's eligible to return prior to Saturday's contest.
Apr 3 2018Zunino (oblique) will set up behind the plate for a simulated game Tuesday, Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports.The young backstop took swings in a batting cage Monday without issue, so he'll move into the sim game portion of his rehab program. There's a chance he could log an at-bat in Tuesday's outing, but either way, Zunino is expected to be back with the Mariners after the minimum 10-day stint on the disabled list.
Apr 1 2018Zunino (oblique) is expected to take part in simulated and intrasquad games with Triple-A Tacoma this week, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.Mariners manager Scott Servais expressed optimism that Zunino would spend the minimum 10 days on the disabled list, so reports of the catcher preparing to play in games suggests that recovery timetable likely still holds. Zunino is eligible to rejoin the Mariners on April 7 in Minnesota and should take back an everyday role behind the plate once activated.
Mar 31 2018Zunino (oblique) is dealing with a Grade 1 oblique strain, which should allow him to return to the field in 10 days, Shannon Drayer of MyNorthwest.com reports.Zunino's tests revealed good news as the catcher will likely be back in action once he's eligible to return from the disabled list. In his place, Mike Marjama will likely handle the primary catching duties with David Freitas serving as the backup.
Mar 30 2018The Mariners placed Zunino on the 10-day disabled list Friday with a strained left oblique, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.The move is retroactive to March 27, which would potentially allow Zunino to return against the Twins on April 7. The 27-year-old started experiencing side stiffness during batting practice Wednesday and was scratched from Thursday's Opening Day lineup. Mike Marjama will start at catcher in his place for the Mariners and David Freitas has been recalled from Triple-A Tacoma to serve as the No. 2 catcher.
Mar 29 2018Zunino (side) has been scratched from Thursday's lineup, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.Mike Marjama will take over behind the plate and bat eighth with Zunino sitting out. According to Johns, Zunino started feeling some stiffness towards the end of Wednesday's batting practice session; however, he does not believe that it'll be a long-term issue. Zunino will get an extra day to rest his side Friday with the Mariners getting the day off before returning to action Saturday.
Mar 22 2018Zunino went 4-for-4 with three home runs and five RBI in Wednesday's 7-4 exhibition victory over the Brewers.The slugging backstop got off to a slow start early on during camp, but it's safe to say he's settled in nicely after Wednesday's power display. Zunino is now up to five home runs on the spring and has gone 11-for-16 with 10 RBI over the past five games. Due to his high strikeout rate, Zunino is often prone to long slumps, but when he's dialed in, few catchers can match his fantasy production.
Mar 7 2018Zunino is hitting .200 (3-for-15) with a solo home run and a walk over seven spring training games.The slugging backstop did log his first extra-base hit of spring when he launched a solo blast to left field off Chris Rusin in the fourth inning of a 3-2 Cactus League loss to the Rockies on Tuesday. While the majority of his other at-bats thus far have mostly been fruitless, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports that manager Scott Servais remarked after the game that Zunino's timing at the plate is much improved over the last couple of exhibitions. The 26-year-old smacked a career-high 25 homers last season while also posting personal bests in RBI (64), extra-base hits (50), batting average (.251), OBP (.331) and slugging percentage (.509), and he'll play 2018 on a one-year, $2.975 million deal.
Jan 11 2018Zunino agreed to a one-year, $2.975 million deal with the Mariners on Thursday, avoiding arbitration, Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com reports.Seattle was able to reach an agreement with Zunino during the catcher's first year of arbitration, which wound up being a good move for both parties. Zunino is coming off a career year at age 26, slashing .251/.331/.509 with 25 home runs and 64 RBI. Although regression is sure to hit the Florida Gator product, Zunino will see a great deal of playing time for the Mariners in 2018 with Mike Marjama and David Freitas as the only other catchers on the club's 40-man roster.
Oct 1 2017Zunino is out of the lineup Sunday against the Angels.Zunino will finish his season with a .251/.331/.509 line, with each mark being the best of his career. Mike Marjama is starting at catcher and hitting ninth Sunday with Zunino out.
Sep 30 2017Zunino went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Friday's loss to the Angels.Zunino is now up to 25 home runs and 160 strikeouts in 387 at-bats this season. He's been a top-seven fantasy earner at the catcher position, but it will be tough to project him for a repeat of his .251 average next year, even with his strong batted-ball profile.
Sep 27 2017Zunino is not in the lineup for Wednesday's matchup against Oakland.Zunino has started four consecutive games behind the dish for the Mariners. In that time he's gone 4-for-13 (.308), hit a home run, and drawn three walks. He'll get the day off while Mike Marjama makes his MLB debut behind the dish.
Sep 26 2017Zunino went 1-for-3 with a three-run homer and a walk in Monday's 7-1 win over the Athletics.Zunino hadn't gone deep since Sept. 13 before his 422-foot shot to center in the second. The slugging backstop is closing out the season on a strong note, with Monday's production bringing his September line to .328/.411/.625 over 73 plate appearances.
Sep 22 2017Zunino is out of the lineup for Friday's matchup against the Indians.After starting six of Seattle's last seven games, Zunino will get a well-deserved day off. Zunino has been dialed in since the start of September, as he's logged a .333/.410/.630 line and slugged four home runs over 17 games.
Sep 16 2017Zunino is out of Saturday's lineup in Houston, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.He is swinging a red-hot bat, slashing .391/.473/.719 with five home runs over his last 64 at-bats. However, with a 36.5 percent strikeout rate over that span, he is due for significant regression. Carlos Ruiz will start behind the dish and hit eighth.
Sep 13 2017Zunino was perfect over four plate appearances Wednesday, hitting two solo homers and drawing two walks in a win over the Rangers.He's back on a hot streak, having hit .378 with four homers over his last 11 games. This performance aside, Zunino has continued striking out like a fiend, so he can't be counted on to maintain his hot streak for long. However, the 26-year-old backstop has put together a much-improved season on the whole, as he's now set a new personal best in homers with 23 while riding a .246 average that's easily better than anything he's produced to this point in his MLB career.
Sep 13 2017Zunino went 2-for-4 with two RBI from a run-scoring single and a fielder's choice in Tuesday's 10-3 win over the Rangers. He also walked and scored once.The 26-year-old backstop contributed some timely hitting, leading to his fourth and fifth RBI of September. Zunino is enjoying a strong month overall, as he's hit safely in four straight and seven of his last nine, leading to a .355/.412/.613 line and .431 wOBA over 34 plate appearances.
Sep 9 2017Zunino is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Angels.Zunino has started four straight games behind the dish, going 3-for-14 (.214) over that span, so he'll head to the bench for a breather as Carlos Ruiz takes over at backstop. Look for him to return to the lineup for Sunday's matinee contest.
Sep 3 2017Zunino is out of the lineup Sunday against the Athletics.It's a much-needed rest for the red-hot Zunino, who has picked up starts in 10 of the Mariners' last 11 contests while contributing three home runs and a .462 on-base percentage over that span. Carlos Ruiz will handle catching duties in the series finale.
Sep 1 2017Zunino went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in Friday's 3-2 win over the Athletics.Zunino opened the scoring for the Mariners with his 351-foot shot to right in the second, slicing an early 2-0 deficit in half. He's hit safely in seven of his last eight games and has driven in three runs over his last two contests.
Aug 31 2017Zunino went 1-for-4 with a two-run single in Wednesday's 8-7 loss to the Orioles.The slugging backstop has picked it up at the plate in recent games, as he's now hit safely in six of his last seven contests. Zunino has a .360/.429/.600 line with a .433 wOBA and 35.7 percent hard contact rate over the 28 plate appearances during that span. However, as is often the case with Zunino's hot streaks, an astronomical BABIP (.615) and equally bloated strikeout rate (39.3 percent) hint at an imminent regression.
Aug 26 2017Zunino is out of the lineup Saturday against the Yankees, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.Zunino will take a seat following four straight starts behind the plate, including a 3-for-5 day with a home run and a double during Friday's series opener. In his place, Carlos Ruiz catches Yovani Gallardo on Saturday.
Aug 25 2017Zunino went 3-for-5 with a double and a solo homer Friday against the Yankees.Zunino launched his 19th bomb of the year to break up a scoreless tie in the fourth inning of a road victory. He's posted a very strong .482 slugging percentage, which has made him an excellent fantasy option at the catcher position.
Aug 20 2017Zunino is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rays, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.Zunino will head to the bench for a day off after starting five straight games behind the plate, registering three multi-hit games over that stretch. Carlos Ruiz will take over for him at backstop, batting ninth.
Aug 15 2017Zunino went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Monday's 11-3 loss to the Orioles.Zunino's 378-foot shot to right center in the fifth provided one of the few bright spots for the Mariners in the rout. The slugging backstop has continued to generate solid power numbers as the season has unfolded, but he's cooled off at the plate overall in the second half. After slashing .281/.336/.623 with a .394 wOBA and .342 ISO over 125 plate appearances between May 29 and July 8, Zunino has just a .200 average and .286 OBP in his 84 plate appearances since the All-Star break, while also sporting a massive 39.3 percent strikeout rate.
Aug 13 2017Zunino is out of the lineup Sunday against the Angels, Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports.Zunino will take a seat in the series finale after three straight outings behind the plate, opening up a start for backup Carlos Ruiz. The 25-year-old is still showcasing above-average power from the catcher spot with five home runs and three doubles since the All-Star break, but a 40 percent strikeout rate has saddled him with a .183 average in the second half.
Aug 9 2017Zunino is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the A's, Shannon Drayer of 710 ESPN Seattle reports.The young backstop will give way to Carlos Ruiz behind the plate in what appears to be a routine day of rest. Zunino has been mired in a rough slump at the plate for the past few weeks, batting 2-for-25 over his last eight starts and hitting only .197 since the All-Star break.
Aug 6 2017Zunino is not in the lineup for Game 2 of Sunday's doubleheader against the Royals, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.Zunino went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts during Game 1 of the doubleheader and will head to the bench in favor of Carlos Ruiz for Game 2.
Jul 31 2017Zunino is out of the lineup Monday against the Rangers, Bob Dutton of The Tacoma News Tribune reports.It looks to be a routine rest day for Zunino following three consecutive starts behind the plate. Carlos Ruiz is slated to handle catching duties in the series opener.
Jul 29 2017Zunino went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, a walk and two runs in Friday's 7-5 loss to the Mets.Zunino produced the only multihit effort of the night for the Mariners, his first since July 17 and third overall of the month. The slugging backstop could be getting on another long-ball heater, as he's now gone deep on three occasions in the last four games.
Jul 26 2017Zunino went 1-for-4 with a game-tying solo home run and two walks in Tuesday's 6-5 extra-inning win over the Red Sox.The slugging backstop knotted matters up at 4-4 with his 413-shot to left center in the seventh, his second round tripper in the last three games. Zunino started off like a house afire after returning from a 19-day sabbatical at Triple-A Tacoma on May 23, compiling 11 homers, 33 RBI, a .413 wOBA and a .364 ISO in 119 plate appearances spanning his first 32 games. However, his mammoth 39.5 percent strikeout rate during that stretch was significantly offset by an unsustainable .400 BABIP. With the latter figure having been sliced exactly in half since July 1 and the 26-year-old still whiffing at a bloated 36.1 percent clip, Zunino's average in the current month is an unsightly .179, although he still carries plenty of power upside.
Jul 26 2017Zunino is out of the lineup for Wednesday's series finale against Boston, MyNorthwest.com's Shannon Drayer reports.Zunino will receive a standard day off for Wednesday's matinee, following an extra-inning win over the Red Sox on Tuesday. The catcher tied the game up in the bottom of the seventh with a solo home run, going 1-for-4 with a pair of walks on the day. Carlos Ruiz draws the start in his stead, while batting eighth.
Jul 23 2017Zunino is out of the lineup Sunday against the Yankees.It'll be a routine off day for Zunino, who will turn catching duties over to Carlos Ruiz following four straight starts. After busting out for 10 home runs and a .304 average in June, Zunino's low-contact ways have predictably caught up with him this month. He's hitting .184 while striking out in 34.6 percent of his plate appearances in July.
Jul 18 2017Zunino is out of Tuesday's lineup against the Astros, Bob Dutton of The Tacoma News Tribune reports.He has started the last two games, notching four hits with a home run and three RBI over that span. However, he is still only hitting .169 with a 35.9 percent strikeout rate over his last 59 at-bats, as he has slumped pretty badly over the last three weeks. Carlos Ruiz is starting behind the dish and hitting eighth.
Jul 17 2017Zunino went 2-for-5 with a double, a homer and three RBI Monday in Houston.Zunino hit a two-run double in the fourth inning and added a solo homer in the eighth. The catcher also struck out twice, bringing his season rate up to 38.1 percent. Zunino's .470 slugging percentage is tied with his 2016 career high, so he's doing plenty of damage when he's able to put the ball in play.
Jul 15 2017Zunino is out of the lineup against the White Sox on Saturday.Zunino gets a standard day off after catching and going 1-for-3 at the plate during Friday's game. In his place, Carlos Ruiz will man the duties behind the plate while batting ninth.
Jul 9 2017Zunino is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Athletics, Bob Dutton of The Tacoma News Tribune reports.Zunino has started each of the past four games for the Mariners -- collecting just one hit in the process -- and will cede the start behind the plate to Carlos Ruiz. Zunino will finish the first half with 12 homers and 36 RBI to go along with his .223 average.
Jul 6 2017Zunino went 1-for-4 with a solo home run during Wednesday's loss to Kansas City.Since being recalled from the minors in late May, Zunino has 12 round trippers, 34 RBI, 17 runs and a .275/.333/.625 slash line through just 37 games. It's been an elite stretch. His 40.2 strikeout percentage during that span is a worrisome mark, and the backstop has already begun to slow down. However, his power is unquestioned at this point. While his batting average and homer pace are like to continue declining, he's still a solid fantasy option in the majority of settings.
Jul 4 2017Zunino is not in the lineup Tuesday against the Royals, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.Zunino is just 2-for-22 (.091) over his last eight games, so he'll head to the bench to clear his head as Carlos Ruiz takes over behind the dish. Despite the mini-slump, Zunino is still slashing .284/.347/.659 with 10 homers in 27 games since the start of June.
Jul 1 2017Zunino is out of the lineup for Saturday's game against the Angels, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports.Zunino will get a standard day off after starting the past four games behind the plate. In his place, veteran Carlos Ruiz is set to catch Sam Gaviglio while batting ninth in the order.
Jul 1 2017Zunino went 1-for-4 with a solo homer in Friday's 10-0 win over the Angels.The 26-year-old backstop had actually looked human in his last three games, going 0-for-9 during that span. However, Zunino bounced back to smack his 10th home run of June on Friday, giving him a jaw-dropping 31 RBI for the month. He also notably avoided striking out altogether for only the second time in the last 13 games, an area of his game that continues to be his most prominent weak spot. It remains to be seen if Zunino will be able to keep up the impressive offensive pace he's set since returning from Triple-A Tacoma in late May, but he undeniably regained a considerable degree of confidence at the plate during his most recent minor-league stint.
Jun 24 2017Zunino is out of the lineup for Saturday's game against the Astros.While the slugging catcher has posted a .348/.397/.803 batting line with nine home runs and 29 RBI in June, his 37.0 percent strikeout rate suggests his batting average over that span will likely be unsustainable. However, Zunino continues to display the power form that made him an attractive backstop as he rose through the minor league ranks and that shouldn't disappear. He'll yield Saturday's start to Carlos Ruiz, but should rejoin the lineup Sunday.
Jun 24 2017Zunino went 2-for-4 with a double and three-run home run in Friday's 13-3 win over the Astros.The slugging backstop doesn't show any signs of slowing down, with Friday's blast his ninth of June and 10th overall since returning to the majors from Triple-A Tacoma in late May. Zunino's jaw-dropping body of work in the 86 plate appearances he's seen over that span includes a .492 wOBA, .423 ISO, 1.213 OPS, 36.2 percent line drive rate and 46.8 percent hard contact rate. The one caveat is that regression on the .526 BABIP he's also compiled during that stretch is inevitable, and given that he's still striking out at a robust 37.2 percent clip, he could see a notable drop-off if he keeps up his feast-or-famine tendencies.
Jun 19 2017Zunino went 2-for-3 with a pair of two-run home runs in Monday's victory over the Tigers.A switch must have flipped when Zunino returned from a brief trip to the minors this season, as he's raised his batting average from .173 all the way to .257 following Monday's bout. He also now has nine home runs on the season, all of which came after his short stint at Triple-A. Zunino seems to finally be tapping into the potential people saw in him years ago, and if he can continue this display of power, he could be one of the top catchers in the league by the end of the season.
Jun 18 2017Zunino is out of the lineup Sunday against the Rangers, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.Since being recalled from Triple-A Tacoma on May 22, Zunino has been one of the top fantasy backstops in the game, recording seven home runs and 24 RBI in just 77 at-bats. He's still striking out 40.5 percent of the time, however, which could eventually result in his batting average trending closer to the Mendoza Line. He'll get a breather Sunday with backup Carlos Ruiz taking over behind the plate, but Zunino is worth keeping active in most leagues while he continues to sizzle at the dish.
Jun 15 2017Zunino went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run in Wednesday's 6-4 win over the Twins.The hits keep on coming for the rejuvenated Zunino, who is in the midst of the best stretch of hitting of his career. The 26-year-old backstop currently has a four-game hitting streak and has knocked in six runs in the last three games alone. Factoring in Wednesday's production, Zunino is slashing .366/.413/.780 in what has been a spectacular June.
Jun 14 2017Zunino went 2-for-4 with an RBI double and a run in Tuesday's 20-7 loss to the Twins.Zunino vaulted his average over .240 with what was his second straight multi-hit effort and fifth overall in the last 10 games. The 26-year-old is hitting .378 in June while racking up 16 RBI during the month as well.
Jun 13 2017Zunino went 3-for-5 with two RBI from a run-scoring single and solo home run in Monday's 14-3 win over the Twins.While it still somewhat smacks of hyperbole, it increasingly appears that Zunino's demotion to Triple-A Tacoma back on May 5 could ultimately prove to be a pivotal event in his career as a hitter. The 26-year-old backstop, who's never hit above .214 in his four previous major-league campaigns, has posted a .400 average, four doubles, four homers, 16 RBI, a .489 wOBA and 218 wRC+ in the 50 plate appearances he's logged across his last 13 games. He's already racked up four multi-hit efforts in June as well, although his strikeout rate remains in drastic need of improvement; despite the aforementioned success, Zunino has still whiffed at a 36 percent clip over that span.
Jun 10 2017Zunino is out of the lineup for Saturday's game against the Blue Jays.The catcher will take his first day off since June 1 in favor of Carlos Ruiz behind the dish. Zunino is hitting 8-for-23 with three home runs and 13 RBI during the seven games of this month, and will likely be back in his normal position for Sunday's series finale.
Jun 5 2017Zunino went 2-for-4 with a two-run single in Sunday's 7-1 win over the Rays.The multi-hit outing capped off a spectacular two-game span for the backstop, who went 5-for-8 with a double, a home run and nine RBI over the weekend. Zunino has now seen a 43-point boost in his average to .216 since being recalled from Triple-A Tacoma on May 22.
Jun 4 2017Zunino went 3-for-4 with seven RBI from a run-scoring single, RBI double and grand slam in Saturday's 9-2 win over the Rays.The 26-year-old backstop is a new hitter following a recent sabbatical in Triple-A Tacoma, with Saturday's career-best performance serving as the latest evidence. Zunino now has four multi-hit efforts in the last five games, a stretch that's included four doubles in addition to his homer and nine RBI overall. If Zunino is able to continue providing serviceable production from the latter half of the order, it would go a long way towards providing some balance to a Mariners lineup that tends to be a bit top-heavy.
Jun 1 2017Zunino went 2-for-3 with an RBI double and a run in Wednesday's 5-0 win over the Rockies.The light-hitting backstop has now compiled three straight multi-hit efforts, rapping out a double in each of those games. Zunino has a .325 wOBA, 38.5 percent line drive rate and 46.2 percent hard contact rate over 30 plate appearances since returning from Triple-A Tacoma, although consistent contact has continued to evade him; over the aforementioned stretch, Zunino's strikeout rate is a whopping 50.0 percent, helping keep his season average at an unsightly .190.
Jun 1 2017Zunino is not in the lineup Thursday against the Rockies, Bob Dutton of The Tacoma News Tribune reports.Despite producing three multi-hit games in a row (his first of the season), Zunino will head to the bench for Thursday's afternoon contest. Carlos Ruiz will take over behind the dish in his place.
May 28 2017Zunino is out of the lineup Sunday against the Red Sox, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.Banished to the minors earlier this month after batting just .167 to begin the season, Zunino was called up from Triple-A Tacoma on Tuesday and homered in his first game back. He's since returned to his old ways, however, going 0-for-13 with eight strikeouts while starting the subsequent four contests. Zunino's absence from the lineup Sunday just looks like a normal day off, but if he's unable to turn things around quickly at the plate, he could be headed back to Tacoma before long.
May 24 2017Zunino, recalled from Triple-A Tacoma on Monday, went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 10-1 loss to the Nationals.Fresh off a minor-league stint in which he slashed a solid .293/.356/.707, Zunino got his latest Mariners stint off to a positive start with his first homer of the season at the big-league level. It was an extension of the pop that the 26-year-old backstop flashed at Tacoma, where he smacked five round trippers in just 12 games. With fellow catcher Carlos Ruiz hitting just .130 over his first 56 plate appearances, the door is once again wide open for Zunino to take the reins of the starting job behind the plate.
May 22 2017Zunino was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma on Monday.While Zunino slashed an impressive .293/.356/.707 with five homers and a 5:4 K:BB in 12 games with Tacoma after being demoted, this isn't necessarily anything new for the backstop. The 26-year-old owns a combined .267/.345/.524 triple slash across four seasons at Triple-A (153 games) spanning back to 2013, though he has yet to post a batting average above .215 at the major-league level (five seasons, 374 games). He still offers some serious pop as a catcher, but that won't figure to matter if he can't make consistent contact with the ball (he owns a career 32.7 percent strikeout rate in the majors). Still, given the Mariners other options at catcher, Zunino should be in line for the majority of starts behind the dish.
May 12 2017Zunino went 2-for-3 with a go-ahead solo home run in Triple-A Tacoma's 8-2 win over Round Rock on Thursday. He's 3-for-7 with two solo blasts, a walk and three runs over his first two games with the Rainiers.If the first two games are any indication, some time away from big-league pitching may have been just what the doctor ordered for Zunino. The 26-year-old backstop was hitting just .167 with the Mariners before his demotion, but could certainly find his way back with an extended stretch of strong performances at Tacoma.
May 5 2017Zunino is not in the lineup Friday against the Rangers, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports.Zunino has just one hit over his last five games (1-for-15), so he'll head to the bench to clear his head as Carlos Ruiz takes over behind the dish.
Apr 30 2017Zunino is out of the lineup Sunday against the Indians, Bob Dutton of The Tacoma News Tribune reports.Zunino, who went 0-for-5 with a strikeout in the first two games of the series, will rest for the second time in four contests, allowing Carlos Ruiz to pick up a start behind the plate. Though Zunino is an excellent receiver, he's failed to make an impact at the dish this season, slashing .172/.243/.234 over 70 plate appearances. Zunino could fall into more of a timeshare with Ruiz if he fails to get going in the next handful of games.
Apr 21 2017Zunino has been scratched from Friday's lineup, but the catcher has no health issues, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports.Carlos Ruiz will take his place in Seattle's lineup, batting eighth. Zunino is hitting a brutal .205/.255/.295 over 14 games with no home runs and two RBI and has now been out of the Mariners lineup three times since Sunday.
Apr 18 2017Zunino is not in the lineup Tuesday against the Marlins, Shannon Drayer of MyNorthwest.com reports.Zunino is hitting just .189 (7-for-37) through 11 games so far, so he'll get the day off to clear his head. Carlos Ruiz will take over behind the dish for the second time in three games.
Apr 16 2017Zunino is out of the lineup Sunday against the Rangers, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.It's a normal off day for Zunino, who was behind the plate for the first two games of the series. Carlos Ruiz will draw the catching honors Sunday, working as the battery mate for Hisashi Iwakuma.
Apr 11 2017Zunino went 1-for-3 with a walk and run in Monday's 6-0 win over the Astros.The 26-year-old catcher has now hit safely in three straight and five of the six games he's started overall. He's given way to veteran Carlos Ruiz in two games thus far, and the plan is for Ruiz to log slightly more starts than the average backup catcher. However, assuming a clean bill of health, Zunino should see more than enough playing time sith which to try and surpass the career-best 22 home runs and 60 RBI he compiled in a 131-game 2013 season.
Apr 11 2017Zunino is out of the lineup Tuesday against the Astros, Shannon Drayer of MyNorthwest.com reports.Zunino will have the day off following a solid outing Monday in which he went 1-for-3 and drew a walk. Carlos Ruiz will start behind the dish in his place.
Apr 9 2017Zunino is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Angels, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.The Mariners didn't indicate that Zunino sustained any sort of injury in Saturday's game, so it appears safe to conclude he's receiving a routine off day for the day game after a night game. Carlos Ruiz will enter the lineup at catcher for the second time this season in place of Zunino.
Apr 6 2017Zunino is not in the lineup Thursday against the Astros, Shannon Drayer of ESPN Radio reports.Zunino was a pleasant surprise at the plate during spring training, but he hasn't been able to transfer that success to the regular season thus far, as he's only tallied a pair of hits in the Mariners' first three games. He'll get the day off Thursday, with Carlos Ruiz taking over catching duties for the evening.
Mar 10 2017Zunino went 2-for-4 with an RBI double and solo home run in Thursday's 8-6 Cactus League victory over the Cubs.Zunino's hitting has been one of the pleasant surprises of spring, as he's now slashing .353/.522/1.059 following Thursday's production. He's tops on the Mariners with three homers, while his six RBI tie him with Zach Shank for the team lead in that category this spring.
Mar 7 2017Zunino went 2-for-3 with two-run double, solo homer, two runs and a walk in Monday's 9-0 Cactus League win over the Rangers.Zunino got a hold of an A.J. Griffin offering in the second for his second round-tripper of spring, and he boosted his average to .308 with Monday's effort. Although the 25-year-old backstop already boasts a stellar reputation for his work behind the plate, he's never hit above .214 at the big league level. However, he carries plenty of power upside, giving him solid fantasy value coming into a 2017 season in which he'll serve as the Mariners' starting backstop.
Mar 5 2017Zunino went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Saturday's 4-3 Cactus League win over the Rockies.The Mariners backstop went down on strikes on the two at-bats in which he did make outs, but connected to left center off Jon Gray for his first round-tripper of spring in the second inning. His blast was the only hit off Gray over two innings, and was only Zunino's second hit of spring overall. The 26-year-old's excellent defensive profile have earned him the opportunity to start heading into 2017, but veteran Carlos Ruiz will serve as a highly capable back-up option that is slated to also receive plenty of playing time in the coming season.
Feb 2 2017Zunino enters the 2017 season as the starting catcher, primarily due to his outstanding defensive skills, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports.The 2012 third overall pick will finally get first crack at the starting job from the onset of a campaign. Zunino began last season at Triple-A Tacoma, where he slashed a solid .286/.376/.521 with 17 homers and 57 RBI over 79 games. He receive a mid-July call-up to the big league club and was even better there in the early going, smacking two homers in his first game and generating a .280/.396/.707 line with five doubles, nine homers and 21 RBI over his first 26 contests. The torrid pace wasn't sustainable over the long term, however, as Zunino hit just .146 with two doubles, three homers and 10 RBI over the final 29 games of the season. The Mariners are willing to live with those offensive inconsistencies due to the 25-year-old's stellar defense, as they consider his ability to handle the pitching staff to be at a near-elite level. The team also appears to have found an ideal veteran complement in former All-Star Carlos Ruiz, whom they acquired in a Nov. 7 trade with the Dodgers. According to manager Scott Servais, although he envisions Zunino as the clear-cut starter, he'll leverage Ruiz's presence to potentially give the former more days off than a typical first-string backstop. "Understand we're not looking forward for Mike Zunino to play or catch 125 or 130 games," Servais said. "That's not the point. So when he does hit a little funk and we need to give him a few days off, we've got Ruiz to step in there and let him play a few days. I think it's a good mix."
Oct 2 2016Zunino is out of the lineup Sunday against the Athletics, MLB.com's Greg Johns reports.Zunino had started each of the last four games behind the plate, so he'll be given a breather in the season finale. Chris Iannetta gets the nod behind the plate.
Sep 30 2016Zunino hit a solo homer Thursday for his 12 home run of the season.The strides Zunino made at the plate this year at Triple-A have disappeared in the last five weeks or so. In his last 26 games, he's batting .159 with three home runs and two doubles. He is still the primary catcher, but his 2017 role is a bit more uncertain now than it looked this summer.
Sep 20 2016Zunino is not in the lineup Tuesday against the Blue Jays, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports.Zunino has gone just 1-for-11 with seven strikeouts over the last four games. With the left-handed J.A. Happ starting for Toronto, Zunino will give way to Chris Iannetta behind the dish and head to the bench.
Sep 11 2016Zunino went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer in Sunday's 3-2 win over the A's.Zunino homered for the second straight game, taking rookie Arismendy Alcantara deep in the second inning. Despite spending the first three months of the season in the minors, he's already matched his home run total (11) from last year in 72 fewer games. Zunino whiffs too much (career 32 percent strikeout rate) to hit for a good average, but few backstops can match his power potential.
Sep 10 2016Zunino is out of the lineup Saturday against the A's.He will sit in favor of Jesus Sucre, who is hitting seventh Saturday. Zunino is hitting just .212 while striking out 34 percent of the time since Aug. 1, and while he has seven homers over that stretch, the batting average drain is tough to stomach in single-catcher formats.
Sep 8 2016Zunino is out of the lineup Thursday against the Rangers, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports.This marks the third time in five games that Zunino will cede the start behind the dish, and his case for more playing time certainly isn't helped by the fact that he's hitting below the Mendoza Line in his last 30 games played. For Thursday's game, Chris Ianetta will take over as the starting catcher.
Sep 5 2016Zunino is out of the lineup Monday against the Rangers.Zunino will take a seat for the second straight day, this time giving way to Jesus Sucre behind the plate. The presence of Chris Iannetta and Sucre on the roster following September call-ups doesn't appear to be doing Zunino's fantasy value any favors.
Sep 4 2016Zunino is out of the lineup Sunday against the Angels.Zunino got off to a nice start after he was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma in late July, but he's really sputtered of late. The backstop has gone 2-for-28 over the Mariners' last 11 games, dropping his average to .223 for the season. Zunino is still expected to see the majority of the starts behind the plate in September, but Chris Iannetta will spell him in Sunday's contest.
Aug 24 2016Zunino is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Mariners, the Seattle Times' Ryan Divish reports.A run of three straight games with a home run ended for Zunino on Tuesday, and he gets Wednesday's matinee off following the night game. Chris Iannetta will start behind the dish and hit eighth Wednesday.
Aug 23 2016Zunino hit his ninth home run, a three-run shot, in a 1-for-4 game Monday against the Yankees.Zunino extended his hitting streak to six games and has five extra-base hits over that span, including three home runs. He struck out twice Monday and will probably never be totally free of the contact issues he has struggled with throughout his career, but it won't matter if he keeps hitting for power like this. He owns a ridiculous .707 slugging percentage through 26 games in 2016.
Aug 22 2016Zunino is in the lineup Monday against the Yankees, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.Zunino had a routine day off Sunday and is back in action Monday as the Mariners face Michael Pineda and the Yankees. Zunino has been putting on a show at the plate in recent outings and has gone .400/.438/.933 with two home runs over Seattle's last seven games.
Aug 21 2016Zunino is out of the lineup Sunday against the Brewers.Since July 20, Zunino has started the majority of games behind the plate over Chris Iannetta, but it will be Iannetta that gets the nod Sunday afternoon. Zunino certainly earned the day off, as he launched his eighth home run in Saturday evening's contest as part of a three-RBI effort.
Aug 19 2016Zunino went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer and a walk against the Angels on Thursday.His ninth-inning long ball gave the Mariners a shot of hope, cutting a 6-2 lead in half, but it wasn't enough. Despite having gone nine straight appearances (six starts) without a homer, the slugging catcher is still carrying an OPS over 1.000. At 25 years old, it appears that 2012's No. 3 overall pick has finally arrived for good as a major leaguer.
Aug 17 2016Zunino is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Angels, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.Zunino will get the night off, giving way to Chris Iannetta to start behind the dish. Zunino will likely return to his spot in the lineup for Thursday's contest versus Los Angeles.
Aug 9 2016Zunino is out of the lineup for Thursday's contest with the Tigers, Shannon Drayer of MyNorthwest.com reports.Zunino will get a day off after starting six of the past seven games behind the plate. In his place, Chris Iannetta starts at catcher, while batting seventh in the order.
Aug 6 2016Zunino finished 1-for-3 with a three-run home run in Friday night's win over the Angels.The 25-year-old catcher broke a first-inning tie with a three-run shot off starter Tim Lincecum, giving his team the lead that wouldn't be relinquished in the eventual 6-4 win. Zunino has more than made up for his 24 percent strikeout-rate with six home runs in 14 games this season. He now holds a solid .268/.400/.780 slash line.
Aug 6 2016Zunino is out of the lineup Saturday against the Angels, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports.He will get a rest after catching four straight games as Chris Iannetta steps in behind the dish. The 25-year-old Zunino has gone 4-for-12 to begin August, with three of those hits leaving the yard, and he's showing more patience and a more selective batting eye (seven walks in 50 plate appearances this year). Zunino has taken over as the primary catcher and should be owned in nearly all two-catcher leagues.
Aug 4 2016Zunino homered in Wednesday night's win over the Red Sox, highlighting that he's also started 10 of the last 13 games behind the plate for the Mariners, the Tacoma News Tribune reports.Zunino, who is back in the lineup again Thursday night against the Red Sox and Ariel Miranda, is now hitting .286/.390/.800 with five homers in 41 plate appearances so far at the big league level. He's struck out 10 times so far, which is a lot, but at a pace far more palatable than the last two seasons.
Jul 29 2016Zunino is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Cubs.Zunino was behind the plate for five of the Mariners' last six games, but he went just 3-for-15 (.200) at the plate over that span so he will give way to Chris Iannetta on Friday.
Jul 24 2016Zunino will serve as the Mariners' catcher and bat seventh in the order Sunday against the Blue Jays.Manager Scott Servais told 710 ESPN Seattle's Shannon Drayer shortly after Zunino's July 20 promotion that the backstop would play "more than once or twice a week," and the Mariners skipper has been true to his word thus far. Zunino will be making his third start in four games, and at the very least, it looks as though he'll split time with Chris Iannetta behind the plate, if not see the bulk of the action. Zunino has historically been an asset in the power department, but is just a .194 career hitter at the big-league level.
Jul 20 2016Zunino was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma on Wednesday.Zunino was sent down prior to the All-Star break, but he'll now return to the Mariners, as the team sends Jesus Sucre to Tacoma. Zunino has appeared in only two major league games on the year, but he's slashing a healthy .286/.376/.521 through 79 Triple-A contests. He's listed in the lineup Wednesday against the White Sox, starting at catcher and batting eighth against right-hander Miguel Gonzalez.
Jul 3 2016Zunino homered twice Saturday in his first major-league game since last August.Zunino's power hasn't been the question, it's his ability to hit for average that had him starting this season at Triple-A Tacoma, particularly his inability to hit anything other than a fastball down the pipe. Interestingly, Zunino's first home run came off a 1-2 slider left over the plate. He also walked and did not strike out. Zunino has a long way to go, and it wouldn't be surprising if the Mariners decided they'd rather have him play everyday at Triple-A rather than backing up Chris Iannetta a couple times a week while Steve Clevenger is out. But this was obviously a good start.
Jul 1 2016Zunino, who was recalled from Triple-A on Thursday, will play more than once a week as the backup to Chris Iannetta, the Seattle Times reports.Zunino replaced the injured Steve Clevenger, who saw sparse playing time -- Iannetta is second in innings caught in the AL. Zunino wouldn't have been called up from his season-long development plan in Tacoma without Clevenger's injury. But he'll have the chance to show whether the extra instruction improved his hitting. Last season, his .174 average was on pace to be the lowest in the majors since 1892 before he was sent down in late August. "He's going to play more than once a week," manager Scott Servais said. "There's no doubt, just looking at our schedule and looking at our day games and how it matches up there. There will plenty of opportunity for him."
Jun 30 2016Zunino was recalled prior to Thursday's game against the Orioles, Jim Duquette of MLB.com reports.Zunino was promoted to the big leagues to replace the injured Steve Clevenger, who went down with a broken hand Wednesday. Clevenger is expected to be out at least a month, and Zunino figures to be the backup for Chris Iannetta behind the plate while he is on the mend. At the time of his call-up, Zunino had been hitting .282/.366/.516 with 15 home runs and 51 RBI with Triple-A Tacoma in 248 at-bats this season.
Jun 30 2016Zunino could get called up to replace the injured Steve Clevenger as the backup to Chris Iannetta.The Opening Day starter the previous two years, Zunino began this season in Triple-A to develop as a hitter. He's had his ups and down this year, but he's batting .282/.366/.516. The Mariners might not want to interrupt the development plan just for him to catch a couple times a week the next month or so. In that case, Rob Brantly could get the call.
Mar 18 2016Zunino was optioned to Triple-A on Friday.Zunino, right-hander Cody Martin, and outfielder Boog Powell were all sent to Tacoma on Friday as the Mariners continue to narrow the roster as Opening Day approaches. Zunino appeared in 112 games for Seattle last season, hitting .174 with 11 homers and 28 RBI across 386 plate appearances.
Dec 2 2015Zunino is expected to open 2016 at Triple-A Tacoma, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports.General manager Jerry Dipoto confirmed what was widely assumed after the team acquired both Chris Iannetta and Steve Clevenger within the past nine days. Zunino fell apart last season, striking out in 34.2 percent of his plate appearances, ultimately finishing with a .174 average and a .230 OBP. Strikeouts will always be part of the package with the 24-year-old, but he will need to show some improvement with his plate discipline before getting another chance.
Sep 8 2015Zunino was sent to instructional league Tuesday to work on making adjustments to his swing, MLB.com's Andrew Erickson reports.The Mariners are saying the Zunino is still viewed as the team's starting catcher heading into spring training next season, but there were issues with his swing that they thought would be better addressed in a low-pressure environment. It's too soon to completely close the door on Zunino from a fantasy perspective, but he was so bad earlier this season that a wait-and-see approach is advisable in most formats.
Aug 28 2015Zunino has been optioned to Triple-A Tacoma, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports.Zunino has struggled mightily at the plate this season, and his issues have only worsened in August, as he's hitting a paltry .130 on the month with 20 strikeouts in 54 at-bats. The Mariners called up John Hicks from Tacoma to fill his roster spot.
Aug 23 2015Zunino is out of Sunday's lineup against the White Sox, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports.Zunino continues to struggle at the dish, striking out three times in six at-bats over his last two starts. As a result, he'll take a seat again Sunday for the third time in five games in what now appears to be a time split behind the plate with Jesus Sucre.
Aug 21 2015Zunino is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the White Sox, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports.Jesus Sucre will take over behind the plate to catch ace Felix Hernandez as Zunino sits for the second time in three games. Following an 0-for-3, two-strikeout showing Wednesday, Zunino's batting line for the month of August sits at .122/.163/.195. He's homered just twice since the calendar turned to July.
Aug 15 2015Zunino was back in the starting lineup Saturday, going 2-for-4 with his 11th home run of the season.While no one doubts Zunino's ability to punish a mistake pitch or handle his defensive duties behind the plate, his miserable .172/.230/.308 slash line on the season figures to keep costing him playing time down the stretch.
Aug 14 2015Zunino is out of the lineup for a second straight game Friday, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.Zunino's continued struggles at the plate may finally be leading to some extra off time behind the dish. The once-promising backstop appears on track to finish below the Mendoza Line for a second straight season. Jesus Sucre will start in his place once again Friday, batting ninth for the Mariners.
Aug 12 2015Zunino is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Orioles.Zunino is likely receiving the standard day off for Wednesday's day game, with Jesus Sucre starting in his place. The 24-year-old continues to struggle at the dish, going hitless so far in August to drop his average to .168 on the season. However, with no better replacement, he'll likely continue receiving most of the starts.
Aug 8 2015Zunino is out of the lineup for Saturday's game against the Rangers, Shannon Drayer of 710 AM Seattle reports.Zunino is very likely taking some standard catcher rest and will be replaced by Jesus Sucre. After a 10-game hit streak at the end of July that raised his batting average from .158 to .182, Zunino has fallen on hard time again and is hitless in August through five games.
Aug 4 2015Zunino is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Rockies, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports.Jesus Sucre will catch starter Vidal Nuno as Zunino sits for the second time in three games. Zunino has hit just one homer since the start of July and is now slugging .313 on the season. His .234 OBP is the lowest among qualifiers.
Aug 2 2015Zunino is out of the lineup Sunday against the Twins, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports.Zunino has started three straight games behind the plate, but will rest in favor of Jesus Sucre for the afternoon contest at Target Field.
Jul 23 2015As expected, Zunino is out of the lineup Thursday against the Tigers.It was announced late Wednesday night that Zunino, who has started 10 straight, would likely sit Thursday, and that was confirmed after the lineup was posted. Jesus Sucre will take over behind the plate.
Jul 22 2015Zunino, who has started 22 of the last 24 games, will get his first day off after the All-Star break as he's not expected to play Thursday, the Seattle Times reports.Zunino is second in the AL in innings caught with 715. But not only are the Mariners grinding him down behind the plate, they're preventing him from developing as a hitter by not sending him to Triple-A, which should have happened long ago. Zunino is on pace for the lowest batting average in the history of modern baseball. No qualified player since 1884 (not a typo) has hit lower than his .166 for a full season. But after trading Wellington Castillo, the Mariners have only Jesus Sucre, who is 1-for-26 this season, with whom to replace him. A fine mess, indeed.
Jul 4 2015Zunino is not in the starting lineup Saturday against the A's.With right-hander Kendall Graveman on the mound for Oakland and the teams having an afternoon game following a night game Friday, Zunino will sit in favor of Jesus Sucre on Saturday.
Jun 27 2015Zunino went 2-for-4 with a solo homer and two runs scored Saturday in Anaheim.Batting out of the ninth spot in the lineup, Zunino scored both Mariner runs in this one. Unfortunately, even with the two hits, his average remains a truly miserable .169, with an OPS of .552. However, under the category of rays of hope, Zunino -- a strikeout victim 83 times already this year -- has gone three straight games without whiffing and has four hits in that span.
Jun 21 2015Zunino is out of the lineup Sunday against the Astros.Zunino has started six straight contests behind the plate, but will get a regular day of rest Sunday afternoon. Jesus Sucre will take over behind the plate to catch starter J.A. Happ.
Jun 14 2015Zunino is out of the lineup Sunday against the Astros, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports.Zunino will receive his typical Sunday rest after starting the Mariners' previous five games. His average has fallen all the way down to .159 for the season, but his steady defensive abilities and the occasional pop in his bat may allow him to hang on to the regular starting role over Jesus Sucre, who will enter the lineup Sunday.
Jun 7 2015Zunino is out of the lineup Sunday against the Rays, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports.Zunino has gone hitless in his last five starts (0-for-15) while striking out seven times and walking on three occasions. These kind of droughts haven't been uncommon this season, as Zunino's horrific .170/.238/.346 would illustrate. Fortunately for Zunino, backup Jesus Sucre, who will draw the start at catcher Sunday, offers limited offensive upside and doesn't figure to make a push for more at-bats.
May 31 2015Zunino isn't in the lineup Sunday against the Indians, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.Never known for his ability to swing the bat consistently, Zunino continues to hit below the Mendoza line. The young backstop continues to display power, however, collecting two home runs this week to give him seven for the season. He'll likely continue to see most of the starts behind the plate, but Wellington Castillo will start Sunday and bat sixth for the Mariners.
May 24 2015Zunino is out of the lineup Sunday against the Blue Jays, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports.The Mariners will give the newly acquired Welington Castillo his first opportunity to catch Taijuan Walker, who will take the hill Sunday. Zunino is held in high esteem for his defense, but with his batting average still sitting at .183, it wouldn't be a surprise if Castillo began cutting into his workload.
May 22 2015Zunino is back in the lineup Friday against Toronto and will bat eighth.Zunino received the day off Thursday as it was a day game after an evening tilt, but he'll be back behind the plate Friday. He'll face right-hander Marco Estrada for the first time.
May 21 2015Zunino is not in the lineup Thursday against the Orioles, Shannon Drayer of 710 AM Seattle reports.Zunino was expected to sit for the day game following an evening contest, and will give way to the newly acquired Welington Castillo behind the plate. Following a dreadfully slow start, Zunino has improved his batting average more than 100 points from April to May, and is still considered the starter over Castillo.
May 20 2015Zunino is expected to sit for Thursday's series finale against Baltimore, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports.Zunino is set to catch and bat eighth Wednesday against lefty Wei-Yin Chen, but figures to see at least a slight dip in playing time after the M's acquired Welington Castillo from the Cubs on Tuesday. General manager Jack Zduriencik suggested Zunino is still the starter, because while he's struggled offensively, he's continued to play strong defense, though it's possible the two right-handed swingers could move into a more even timeshare if Zunino fails to pick it up at the plate.
May 10 2015Zunino is out of the lineup Sunday against the Athletics.Zunino has started the Mariners' last seven games, and while he went a modest 6-for-26 during that stretch, it raised his batting average 30 points to .159. That mark should flutter around the Mendoza Line all season, but Zunino's strong work behind the plate will keep his starting job relatively secure. He'll just be picking up a rest Sunday, as Jesus Sucre spells him behind the plate.
May 9 2015Zunino struck out four times Friday, the fifth time in his career he's earned the Golden Sombrero.Zunino's strikeout rate is 37.6 percent, outpacing last year's 33.2 percent. He leads catchers with a strikeout every 2.66 plate appearances (fourth in MLB). He entered Friday coming off consecutive multi-hit games, but he's going to need a lot more of those to get his .561 OPS up to a respectable level. His defense is sound, so he's not in danger of losing his job (plus the Mariners have no one else to turn to).
May 1 2015Zunino isn't in Friday's lineup against the Astros, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.Zunino's .129/.214/.242 batting line isn't very appealing as part of the everyday lineup, but he's still the clubs top option at the position. He's now on a 1-for-18 slump at the plate over his past six starts, so the Mariners will give Jesus Sucre the start behind the plate Friday, batting ninth.
Apr 26 2015Zunino isn't in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Twins, LaVelle E. Neal of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.The Mariners will go with Jesus Sucre behind the plate for the final game of the series. Zunino struck out in five of his six at-bats during the first two games, bringing his season line down to an ugly .140/.214/.280.
Apr 19 2015Zunino is out of the lineup Sunday against the Rangers.Zunino hit his first long ball of the year Saturday night, and will be rewarded with a day off in favor of Jesus Sucre. Zunino had started 10 of the Mariners' first 11 games this year, so a maintenance day was likely a bit overdue.
Apr 19 2015Zunino, who entered with just one extra-base hit, hit his first home run of the season Saturday against the Rangers.Zunino was 4-for-33 with a double entering the game. It's been particularly disappointing after he had such a strong spring. Strikeouts have been the biggest problem. With two more Saturday, he now has 17 in 36 at-bats this season.
Apr 12 2015Zunino is back in the lineup Sunday against the Mariners.Zunino missed Saturday's game against right-handed pitcher Sonny Gray, who has held Zunino to 1-for-10 lifetime in their matchup. Zunino has batted 1-for-10 so far this season.
Apr 11 2015Zunino is out of the lineup Saturday against the A's.Zunino has gone 1-for-13 to begin the season and is just 1-for-10 lifetime against right-hander Sonny Gray, Saturday's starter for Oakland, so it seems like a perfect time to get him a breather. Jesus Sucre will step in behind the plate and bat ninth.
Apr 10 2015Zunino is 1-of-10 with four strikeouts after his opening series against the Angels.Zunino's spring stats and confidence were encouraging entering the season, he'll need more to break the Mendoza Line this time around. He plays the A's next, with Drew Pomeranz, Sonny Gray, and Jesse Hahn projected to take the mound.
Mar 24 2015Zunino, who is hitting .345 (10 for 29) with three doubles and three homers this spring, said he feels "night and day" better at the plate after slumping to below Mendoza Line last season, the Seattle Times reports.Zunino is working to improve his pitch recognition, hitting to right field and hitting with two strikes. Importantly, he has seven strikeouts in 31 PA. "If he can put the ball in play instead of striking out, if he can strike out maybe 50 times less, we are probably going to have more positive things," manager Lloyd McClendon said. "His batting average is going to come up, and he's going to drive in more runs." Zunino struck out 158 times last year at a 33.2-percent clip.
Feb 23 2015Zunino, who hit .199 with a .254 OBP last year, said Sunday his goal this season is to improve his swing path to right-center, the Tacoma News Tribune reports. "I think I just need to totally commit to going to right-center," Zunino said. "That's been my strength for a while, and I keep my bat in the zone for a longer time."This might be just typical spring training talk, but maybe going to right-center more consistently will pay for Zunino. Last season, 52 percent of his balls in play went that way. Zunino was rushed to the majors after just 419 minor-league plate appearances, so it's not surprising he's still figuring things out. He showed plenty of power last year, hitting 22 home runs, second among AL catchers to Brian McCann (23). But he struggled against breaking pitches -- .182 vs. curveballs, .129 vs. sliders. The report did not address whether an improved swing path will solve that problem.
Sep 25 2014Zunino hit a solo homer in Thursday's 7-5 win at Toronto. It was his 22nd home run of the season.Zunino also struck out twice, and has a batting average of just .198 on the season. His power is for real though, so he could be a breakout candidate next year, assuming he can make more contact.
Sep 22 2014Zunino is not in the lineup Monday, the Tacoma News Tribune's Bob Dutton reports.Zunino has been in the lineup for the last four games, so this is just a standard day off. He is slashing .190/.248/.399 in the second half, so while his 21 homers are impressive for a catcher in today's offensive landscape, he can inflict serious damage to those in batting average or on-base percentage roto leagues.
Sep 19 2014Zunino went 2-for-5 with a three-run home run against Houston on Friday night.While he has accumulated a disappointing .199 batting average this year, he has provided the Mariners with what they most wanted. He has 21 long ones and 57 RBI, and perhaps most importantly, he has done en excellent job handling the Seattle mound corps.
Sep 17 2014Zunino is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Angels, MLB.com's Greg Johns reports.It appears to be a regular day of rest for Zunino, who started the last two games. He turned in an excellent day at dish Tuesday night, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI, while also reaching base twice on hit-by-pitches.
Sep 14 2014Zunino is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the A's, according to MLB.com's Greg Johns.Zunino will get the day off after starting five straight games behind the plate. Jesus Sucre will be the Mariners' starting catcher in Zunino's place.
Sep 7 2014Zunino is out of the lineup Sunday against the Rangers.Zunino will be given the day off with the Rangers and Mariners getting together for an afternoon tilt in the series finale. Jesus Sucre claims another start behind the plate.
Sep 4 2014Zunino is out of the lineup Thursday against the Rangers, Bob Dutton of Tacoma News Tribune reports.With Zunino starting three of the last four games and not producing offensively during that span, he'll find himself on the bench Thursday. Jesus Sucre is a defensive-first catcher unlikely to press Zunino for the No. 1 job, but Zunino's growing lack of plate discipline is beginning to become troubling. The former No. 3 overall pick has plenty of pop in his bat, but not enough to make up for his ugly .254 on-base percentage.
Aug 30 2014Zunino is out of the lineup Saturday against the Nationals, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports.An 0-for-4, two-strikeout performance Friday lowered Zunino's batting line for the month to .153/.242/.288. He's struck out 28 times while walking four times in August, and while Jesus Sucre hasn't fared any better (.185/.185/.222), manager Lloyd McClendon may be inclined to split the workload behind the plate a bit more evenly over the final weeks of the season.
Aug 23 2014Zunino is out of the lineup Saturday against the Red Sox, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.Jesus Sucre will step in behind the plate to catch starter Chris Young, pushing Zunino to the bench for the third time in six games. Zunino has struggled at the dish over the past two month, with just 20 hits in his last 116 at-bats, but he figures to continue serving as the primary option behind the plate for Seattle the rest of the way.
Aug 20 2014Zunino is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Phillies, Shannon Drayer of 710 AM ESPN Seattle reports.Zunino will sit for Wednesday's afternoon affair after starting the first two games of the series behind the plate. He broke out of a five-game hitless streak Tuesday night, collecting two base knocks and two RBI in three at-bats.
Aug 17 2014Zunino is out of the lineup Sunday against the Tigers, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports.Zunino will take the Sunday day game off following an 0-for-3 performance with three strikeouts at the plate Saturday. Jesus Sucre will start behind teh plate in his place and bat ninth for the Mariners.
Aug 12 2014Zunino went 2-for-3 with a triple, two RBI and two runs Monday in an 11-1 route of the Blue Jays.After a forgettable July where hit just .171, Zunino is heating up a bit, hitting in five straight games. The young catcher is slashing .261/.346/.478 in 23 August at-bats.
Aug 10 2014Zunino is out of the lineup Sunday against the White Sox, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports.Zunino will sit the day game Sunday after Saturday's night game, a common occurrence among catchers. Jesus Sucre will start in his place and bat ninth for the Mariners.
Aug 8 2014Zunino hit an opposite-field, three-run homer Friday against the White Sox for his 18th home run of the season, tying for most among catchers.The Reds' Devin Mesoraco also has 18 homers. While Zunino has shown solid power this year, he's batting .211 with a .693 OPS and 114 strikeouts to a mere 11 walks (and one of those was intentional).
Aug 6 2014Zunino isn't in the lineup Wednesday against the Braves, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports.Despite starting nine of the last 11 games behind the plate, Zunino mustered a modest .267 average (8-for-30) with three homers, four RBI, and four runs scored. He'll hand off catcher to Jesus Sucre, who is batting ninth in the order.
Aug 2 2014Zunino is not in the starting lineup Saturday, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports.Jesus Sucre is making a spot start in Zunino's place Saturday, while Zunino rests for the first time since Tuesday against Baltimore.
Jul 31 2014Zunino hit the game-winning two-run homer in Thursday's 6-5 victory at Cleveland.Zunino clubbed his 17th long ball of the season in the top of the eighth inning to give Seattle the lead for good. He's likely to continue to hurt your batting average, but the power appears to be for real.
Jul 29 2014Zunino went deep for the second straight game Tuesday, belting a solo shot off Indians starter Trevor Bauer as part of a 2-for-3 night. He also plated two runs.The 23-year-old sophomore continues to turn heads in the long ball department, as he's now up to 16 on the year to go with 38 RBI and a not-so-nice .214 average. The 16 bombs are actually tops among AL catchers, which unfortunately is offset by his 104 strikeouts (second worst among major league catchers).
Jul 28 2014Zunino went 3-for-4 with a solo homer in Sunday's 3-2 loss to the Orioles.The three-hit performance salvaged an otherwise disappointing week for Zunino, who went 2-for-14 in the Mariners' previous six games. Zunino's high-strikeout, low-walk tendencies should continue to hold down his batting average, but few catchers are capable of providing the power numbers he brings. Sunday's homer was his 15th of the season, ranking him behind only the Braves' Evan Gattis and Reds' Devin Mesoraco among all MLB backstops.
Jul 26 2014Zunino is not in the lineup Saturday against the Orioles, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports.Zunino will head to the bench after starting five of the team's last six games, as Jesus Sucre steps in to catch starter Chris Yong. While Zunino is just 6-for-56 (.107 average) so far this month, he does not appear to be in any real danger of losing his job as primary backstop for Seattle.
Jul 23 2014Zunino is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Mets, MLB.com's Greg Johns reports.Manager Lloyd McClendon will spell Zunino after the catcher started each of the team's last three games. Backup Jesus Sucre will have the honors of catching prized prospect Taijuan Walker on Wednesday.
Jul 19 2014Zunino isn't in the lineup Saturday at the Angels, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports.After turning it on in the last week and a half of June -- five homers in a span of 35 at-bats -- Zunino has mustered just two hits in 38 at-bats this month, with almost no plate discipline evident (zero walks versus 12 strikeouts). With a day of rest in hand, he'll yield the backstop to Jesus Sucre, who is predictably batting at the bottom of the order.
Jul 6 2014Zunino is not in the lineup Sunday against the White Sox, MLB.com's Greg Johns reports.Zunino gets the afternoon off after starting behind the dish for the first two games of the series with the White Sox. John Buck enters the lineup as the Mariners' catcher, calling the signs for starting pitcher Taijuan Walker.
Jul 2 2014Zunino is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Astros, according to Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times.Zunino socked five home runs over his last 10 games, but he has not had a day off since June 21, so manager Lloyd McClendon decided to give him one with the Mariners playing a day game following a night game. John Buck will get the start behind the plate in Zunino's place.
Jun 19 2014Zunino is out of the lineup Thursday against the Padres, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports.Zunino started each of the previous four games for the Mariners, going 2-for-14 with seven strikeouts. He'll just be receiving a breather Thursday while John Buck handles the catching duties.
Jun 14 2014Zunino is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Rangers, the Seattle Times' Ryan Divish reports.Zunino will give way to John Buck, after starting each of the last seven games. The young backstop has three doubles in his last four contests, but he's still striking out far too often, while only drawing the occasional walk.
Jun 6 2014Zunino is not in the lineup Friday, the Seattle Times' Ryan Divish reports.The team was off Thursday, and Zunino will get two days off, although he is fully healthy and took batting practice Friday afternoon.
May 24 2014Zunino is out of the Mariners' lineup Saturday versus the Astros, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.Zunino is sitting for the second time in four games, yielding the backstop to John Buck. Busting out of a 1-for-15 slump with his 2-for-4 performance Friday, he may be on the verge of adding to his six homers in 128 at-bats this season.
May 21 2014Zunino is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Rangers, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports.Zunino has started each of the last four games at catcher and will just be receiving a day off. He's started to slump a bit of late, producing just one hit in 12 at-bats over those four games, striking out six times.
May 14 2014Zunino is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Rays, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports.After backstopping the Mariners for each of the last three games, Zunino will cede Wednesday afternoon's duties to backup John Buck, who makes his ninth appearance of the season.
May 4 2014Zunino will not be in the Mariners' starting lineup Sunday afternoon.Zunino will receive a day off to rest Sunday, as the young catcher has started each of the last three games for the Mariners. Veteran backstop John Buck will be behind the plate in his place.
May 2 2014Zunino went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in Friday's 5-4 loss to the Astros.Zunino continues to produce down near the bottom of the Mariners' lineup, as the young backstop is now batting .272 with four homers and 13 runs driven in through 81 at-bats. The second-year big leaguer has solid power potential at the position and holds nice value in deeper mixed leagues.
Apr 29 2014Zunino was 4-for-5 with a run and an RBI Tuesday against the Yankees.The four-hit night boosted his batting average from .235 to .274, and though he has only provided one home run on the season, there are much worse fantasy options to be starting at the position.
Apr 27 2014Zunino is not in the lineup Sunday against the Rangers, MLB.com's Greg Johns reports.Zunino will get a regular day of rest, as John Buck will relieve him in a day game following a night game.
Apr 20 2014Zunino is out of the lineup Sunday against the Marlins, Shannon Drayer of 710 AM ESPN Seattle reports.For the second time in four games, Zunino will receive the day off, with backup John Buck receiving the start. Zunino has gotten off to a nice start this season with a .283 average to go along with three homers and nine RBI, but he's drawn just one walk in 54 plate appearances.
Apr 17 2014Zunino is not in the lineup Thursday against the Rangers, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.The 23-year-old will get a day to rest his legs after catching four straight games, and 11 of the last 12. Zunino is off to a strong start, with 13 hits (including three homers) and nine RBI in 47 at-bats.
Apr 14 2014Zunino went 2-for-4 with his third home run of the season Monday night.Zunino has hit the ball better this season than he did in his brief stay with the Mariners a season ago. The young catcher is up to .282 on the season with eight RBI to go with his three home runs.
Apr 11 2014Zunino hit a two-run homer Friday for his second home run of the season in a two-hit night against the A's.Zunino is holding his own thus far with nine hits in 32 at-bats (.281) and four extra-base hits. Backup John Buck has only played once in the first nine games but likely will see more action. The Mariners have had a couple off days and a rainout, which gave Zunino a chance to rest.
Apr 4 2014Zunino is not in the starting lineup Friday against the A's, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.Zunino caught three of the team's first four games, so he'll get a day to rest his legs Friday. The 23-year-old has recorded an extra-base hit in each of his starts thus far, including a home run Wednesday, which is a good sign especially after he hit just .214/.290/.329 in 52 games last year.
Apr 2 2014Zunino hit his first home run of the season Wednesday, a three-run blast, as the Mariners swept their season-opening series at the Angels.Zunino, who also singled, had a run-scoring triple in the opener. He sat out the second game of the series in favor of John Buck, as manager Lloyd McClendon said he plans to keep Zunino rested. Buck could get a couple starts a week.
Feb 17 2014Zunino has been working on changing the mechanics of his swing to keep his hands back, the Tacoma News Tribune reports.He started implementing the change Saturday with Mariners hitting coach Howard Johnson. Zunino cites his fast rise to the big leagues as part of the reason behind his bad habits at the plate last season. By keep his hands back, Zunino would be positioned to drive the ball more effectively to all fields. He'll battle John Buck for playing time to begin the season this spring, but a timeshare could develop early on if Zunino needs time to perfect his adjustments.
Sep 26 2013Zunino went 2-for-4 with a pair of solo home runs against the Royals on Wednesday.Zunino broke up a scoreless tie with his first home run to lead off the fifth inning and then celebrated Michael Saunders' eighth inning homer with a blast of his own. The 22-year-old backstop has had his ups and downs here in his rookie campaign, but there are several positives to take away from the experience. While he won't be a top 10 backstop heading into next year, he's shown enough promise to at least keep him fantasy relevant, even in shallow leagues.
Sep 21 2013Zunino is not in the lineup Saturday against the Angels.Mired in a 1-for-15 slump at the plate, Zunino will give way to Henry Blanco as the Mariners look to get some more offensive production out of their catcher. Zunino's rookie season has been mostly a disappointment, as the 22-year-old has batted just .211/.299/.299 over 45 games.
Sep 18 2013Zunino is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Tigers.Zunino will give way to Humberto Quintero, after starting seven of the previous eight games. Zunino has struggled to the tune of a .143/.265/.214 slash line since the beginning of September.
Sep 15 2013Zunino is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cardinals, MLB.com's Greg Johns reports.Zunion will gave way to Humberto Quintero after starting each of the previous four games. The rookie catcher owns a .222/.303/.319 slash line through 152 plate appearances.
Sep 14 2013Zunino went 2-for-4 and hit a solo home run against the Cardinals on Friday.The home run was Zunino's first since returning from a broken hand and his first RBI as well. It's been a rough rookie season for the 22-year old backstop but there have been some positives that are encouraging for his future value such as an above-average walk rate and a 20.4-percent line drive rate on the big league level. His minor league ISO numbers indicate there's developing power to be had, so consider Zunino a relative sleeper amongst catchers heading into 2014.
Sep 8 2013Zunino is out of the lineup Sunday against the Rays.Zunino will get the day off as Henry Blanco starts behind the plate. Zunino has seen regular playing time since returning from the disabled list, but he owns an ugly .229/.303/.314 slash line through 118 at-bats.
Sep 1 2013Zunino (hand) will be activated from the DL on Monday, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports.A broken hamate bone in Zunino's left hand has kept the 22-year-old out since July 25, but he'll be back behind the plate Monday to catch Felix Hernandez. While the former No. 3 overall pick didn't make quite as big an impact as many were expecting when he was promoted in June, Zunino will have ample opportunity to make a name for himself over the final month.
Aug 28 2013Zunino (hand) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma on Tuesday, the Mariners' official website reports.Zunino got off to a nice start Tuesday, going 1-for-2 with a triple and a walk. He hasn't played since June 25, but could return to the Mariners some time next week. Upon returning to the big league club, Zunino figures to see most of the playing time behind the plate.
Aug 24 2013Zunino (hand) will partake in batting practice Saturday, with aims of heading out on a rehab assignment by the middle of the week, MLB.com reports.After getting in the crouch during a bullpen session Friday, Zunino is nearing the final stage in his recovery effort from a broken left hamate bone. Expect a rehab assignment to commence at Triple-A Tacoma in the near future, barring a setback.
Aug 23 2013Zunino (hand) will catch a bullpen session Friday, the Tacoma News Tribune reports.Zunino began swinging a bat last week and now that he's added catching activities to his regimen, it seems he could be primed for a return in the near future. The 22-year-old said he plans to begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Tacoma next week, potentially putting him on track to return in early September.
Aug 16 2013Zunino (hand) began swinging off a tee Friday for the first time since undergoing surgery, 710 AM ESPN Seattle reports.It's just the first step for Zunino in working his way to full hitting activities, which is probably Zunino's biggest challenge as he works his way back into the Mariners' lineup. He's currently on Week 3 of the six-week timetable given for his recovery from hand surgery, putting him on track to return in early September.
Aug 11 2013Zunino (hand) ran sprints prior to Sunday's game and was not wearing a cast or brace on his hand, the Tacoma News Tribune reports.Zunino is about two weeks through his six-week recovery time frame, but the real test of his health will come when he starts hitting again. The Mariners haven't indicated yet when Zunino may be ready to take batting practice.
Jul 26 2013Zunino was placed on the disabled list Friday due to a broken hamate bone in his left hand, which will hold him out the next six weeks, the Tacoma News Tribune reports.The foul tip that forced Zunino from Thursday's game is a tough break, literally, as he will remain out into early September at the earliest. Since his call-up June 12, he has solidified the Mariners' backstop, batting .242/.315/.343 with two long balls, 10 RBI, and 13 runs scored in 99 at-bats. Henry Blanco will now become the everyday catcher in Seattle.
Jul 25 2013Zunino left Thursday's game against the Twins with a left hand injury sustained on a foul tip, MLB.com reports.Zunino was replaced by Henry Blanco behind the plate after being removed for precautionary reasons. The Mariners were rolling with a 6-0 lead when he left before the fifth inning. It seems to be a minor injury, but consider him day-to-day until he is in the clear.
Jul 24 2013Zunino is not in the Mariners' lineup Wednesday against the Indians.In four appearances since the break, Zunino has displayed a veteran's plate presence, going 3-for-10 with one long ball, two RBI, five runs scored, and a 5:4 BB:K ratio. Nevertheless, he'll take a seat, as Henry Blanco takes on catching duties and bats ninth in the order.
Jul 23 2013Zunino hit his second home run in Monday's 2-1 win over the Indians.Zunino hit a double in the third inning, and his fifth inning solo home run gave the Mariners a 2-1 lead that was never relinquished. He isn't exactly setting the world on fire, but the promising young catcher has reached base 15 times in the last nine games, including six walks.
Jul 21 2013Zunino is not in the starting lineup Sunday against the Astros.The 22-year-old backstop is hitless with three strikeouts so far in the second half, yet he's managed to touch home plate four times in the last two games. Zunino will get a breather Sunday while Henry Blanco steps in behind the dish.
Jul 10 2013Zunino is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Red Sox, mlb.com's Greg Johns reports.Henry Blanco will suit up behind the plate Wednesday, after Zunino started each of the previous five games. Zunino owns a .205/.247/.274 batting line, with one home run and five RBI through 77 plate appearances. The early returns haven't been impressive, but the Mariners have every reason to be patient.
Jul 9 2013Zunino had two hits and a walk and drove in a run Monday against the Red Sox.Zunino is still trying to find his way at the plate, but most of his focus is probably on his catching. Monday he looked good blocking a few balls in the dirt, but he also failed to corral an offering that bounced off the plate, allowing a runner to score from third.
Jul 4 2013Zunino is out of the lineup Thursday against the Rangers, the Tacoma News Tribune reports.Zunino is just being rested after starting the last two games behind the dish for the Mariners. Henry Blanco will get the start at catcher in his stead.
Jul 3 2013Zunino had a two-out, bases-loaded RBI single Wednesday at Texas, driving in a run for the second night in a row.Zunino's "single" came on a hard-hit ball that took a bad hop and went off the glove of Texas third baseman Adrian Beltre. But at least he atoned for striking out twice previously with men on, stranding four. Zunino hasn't done much at the plate yet, but it's only been 15 games since his call-up.
Jun 30 2013Zunino is not in the starting lineup Sunday against the Cubs, MLB.com's Greg Johns reports.Zunino has started four of the last five games at catcher for the Mariners, so he'll get a rest Sunday. Henry Blanco will catch for starter Jeremy Bonderman.
Jun 29 2013Zunino went 2-for-5 and hit a game-winning, walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning against the Cubs on Friday.The game-winning hit was a nice moment for the 22-year-old rookie backstop. He's batting just .237 with one home run and two RBI in 38 at-bats since being called up from Triple-A Tacoma, as he remains a work in progress. He's learning on the job but should benefit from the experience and prove to be a valuable fantasy commodity in future seasons.
Jun 20 2013Zunino is not in the lineup Thursday against the Angels, MLB.com's Greg Johns reports.Zunino will get the day off after starting four in a row for the Mariners, batting merely 2-for-13 from the plate during that span. Henry Blanco gets the start at catcher.
Jun 15 2013Zunino, who hit his first major-league home run Friday, will get the majority of the playing time at catcher with Kelly Shoppach designated for assignment, the Tacoma News Tribune reports.The Mariners opted for Henry Blanco over Shoppach because of the former's "mentor skills," according to manager Eric Wedge. Expect to see Zunino in there most nights with Blanco providing an occasional day off.
Jun 15 2013Zunino went 1-for-3 with a walk and hit his first major league home run, a solo shot to center field in the seventh inning, against the A's on Friday.Fantasy owners were ecstatic enough with Zunino's recent call-up, so this just pushed them over the edge. It did the same for Seattle fans as that's probably the best game played by a Mariners catcher all season. Zunino is a top prospect and a must-own, especially with Kelly Shoppach being outrighted to Triple-A. The job should be Zunino's for the remainder of the season.
Jun 12 2013Zunino will make his major league debut Wednesday against the Astros, the Tacoma News Tribune reports.Following Zunino's call-up Wednesday, he may in fact get the nod behind the plate most nights for the Mariners going forward. In 47 games at Triple-A Tacoma this year, the top prospect hit .238/.303/.503 with 11 home runs, 43 RBI, and 34 runs scored in in 185 at-bats.
Jun 11 2013Zunino is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Astros.Zunino was called up from Triple-A Tacoma on Tuesday, but he will have to wait at least another day before making his big league debut. Kelly Shoppach will start for the Mariners on Tuesday, but don't be surprised if Zunino gsees the bulk of the playing time behind the plate moving forward.
Jun 11 2013Zunino has been recalled from Triple-A Tacoma by the Mariners on Tuesday, according to Ryan Divish of the Tacoma News Tribune.Zunino, one of the Mariners' top prospects and the number three selection in the 2012 draft, will be making his first trip to the big leagues. In 47 games at Triple-A this season he has hit .238/.303/.503 with 11 home runs and 43 RBI. With Kelly Shoppach not exactly lighting it up at the plate for the M's and Jesus Sucre on the DL with a hand injury, Zunino should see a solid amount of playing time immediately and have a chance to display his big power behind the plate.
May 24 2013Zunino did not get the call to replace the demoted Jesus Montero at catcher for the Mariners because the organization does not believe his bat is ready as he is struggling against breaking balls at Triple-A Tacoma, the Tacoma News Tribune reports.Zunino was crushing the ball early this year, but his bat has cooled considerably since. According to the report, Triple-A pitchers have stopped throwing him fastballs in the strike zone. He's now seeing a steady diet of breaking and offspeed pitches and elevated fastballs with two strikes. The Mariners would rather him play everyday and learn how to hit breaking balls than to come up and sit behind Kelly Shoppach in Seattle. So they tabbed catcher Jesus Sucre to replace Montero. Sucre isn't considered a top-flight prospect, though, and Zunino is still most definitely the catcher of the future.
Mar 20 2013Zunino was reassigned to minor league camp on Wednesday.After tearing up Low-A Everett and Double-A Jackson in first season of pro ball, Zunino had a much more modest spring training, batting 5-for-22. Still, he's a premium catching prospect and could land with the Mariners before the end of the season if the upper minors prove unchallenging for him.
Mar 6 2013Zunino finally notched his first hit of spring, a towering home run to left field.Zunino had a shot at earning the backup catching job, but when the Mariners signed Kelly Shoppach, it signaled he was more likely headed to Triple-A. Even if he has a big spring, he'll likely end up at Tacoma. He still needs to brush up on his defensive skills anyway. If all goes well, look for him in Seattle this summer.