Dustin

Ackley

The 31-year-old utilityman was in Mariners camp this spring on a non-guaranteed minor league deal. Ackley, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2009 MLB draft, hasn’t appeared in a game at the big-league level since 2016.

The M’s linked back up with Ackley -- whom they selected with the No. 2 overall selection in 2009 -- via a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training back in January. He never made good on that high draft slot, bouncing out from the M’s after four MLB seasons. He had been a member of the Angels organization the past two campaigns. In exhibition action this spring, Ackley picked up three singles in 12 at-bats.

Seattle selected Ackley with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2009 MLB Draft and he played the first four-and-a-half years of his MLB career in a Mariners uniform, so this will be a homecoming of sorts for the 30-year-old utilityman. He hasn’t appeared in a game at the big league level since 2016, spending the last two years with the Triple-A affiliate of the Angels.

This will be Montero’s seventh appearance (sixth start) at catcher this season. He should be able to reach 10 games started while Miguel Olivo (groin) is on the disabled list and figures to be a pretty solid lock to reach 20 games started before the season is out. Dustin Ackley will serve as the DH Tuesday while Kyle Seager plays second base and Alex Liddi plays third. John Jaso is taking a seat against the left-hander Matt Moore, but he should be in there against most right-handed starters.

Ackley’s first multi-hit night in six games was just his second three-knock effort of the season, while the extra-base hit was his first in five games. One good game is just one good game, but tonight was probably enough for the Mariners to keep Ackley in the leadoff spot for at least one more game over Chone Figgins. Ackley is hitting .263/.309/.355 through his first 81 plate appearances.

We probably shouldn’t get used to it, as Ackley is only getting the nod because Chone Figgins has the night off. The 24-year-old should slide back into his customary No. 2 spot on Thursday.

Ackley’s big day came out of the leadoff spot. Ichiro Suzuki went 0-for-2 with a walk in the three-hole.

Ichiro has hit leadoff in 1,722 of the 1,749 major league games he has played. But the 38-year-old Japanese outfielder posted a poor .310 on-base percentage across 721 plate appearances last season. If his numbers don’t improve overall in 2012, he could slip down further than third. Chone Figgins will be given a shot this spring to fill the massive vacancy atop Seattle’s batting order. Dustin Ackley seems likely to bat second most games.

Dustin Ackley will serve as the Mariners’ designated hitter against the Rangers and Munenori Kawasaki will play second base. Yu Darvish is making his debut for Texas.

He should be back to normal within the next day or two. Dustin Ackley will serve as the Mariners’ designated hitter against the Rangers and Munenori Kawasaki will play second base.