Mariners second baseman Michael Arroyo goes 0 for 3 in his MLB debut in win over A’s

SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Mariners called up infielder-outfielder Michael Arroyo from Triple-A for Sunday’s game against the Athletics.

The 21-year-old started at second base and batted eighth in his MLB debut, going 0 for 3 in a 2-0 win over the A’s before being lifted for a defensive replacement.

Arroyo impressed his manager with his calmness in his first major league game.

“First day in the big leagues, there’s a lot going on, and I thought he took some good swings and he made nice play defensively,” Seattle manager Dan Wilson said. “It was something to build on, for sure.”

Arroyo, a native of Colombia, was batting .283 with 18 home runs, 81 RBIs and 17 stolen bases over a combined 114 games between Double-A Arkansas and Triple-A Tacoma.

Arroyo said he first learned of his promotion via a phone call from his former minor league teammate Lazaro Montes, who was called up to the Mariners from Tacoma on Sept. 1.

“You never stop trying to believing in yourself,” Arroyo said through an interpreter before the game. “You have that confidence in yourself and in your game. And thank God it was able to happen.”

“He looked very comfortable out there, the way I thought he would,” Wilson said. “Nothing seemed to speed up on him. No hits in terms of results for him, but I thought he looked comfortable in the box, and it was a good day for his first one in the big leagues.”

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