Professional career Michael Saunders

1 professional career

1.1 seattle mariners
1.2 toronto blue jays
1.3 philadelphia phillies
1.4 return toronto

professional career
seattle mariners

saunders seattle mariners in 2012

the seattle mariners selected saunders in 11th round of 2004 major league baseball draft. spent 2005 season everett aquasox of short season-a northwest league, hitting .270 7 home runs , 39 runs batted in (rbi). in 2006, promoted wisconsin timber rattlers of class-a midwest league, hitting .239 4 home runs , 39 rbi. despite struggling in 2006, 2007 promoted high desert mavericks of advanced-a california league, excelled, hitting .299 14 home runs , 77 rbi, before called west tennessee diamond jaxx of double-a southern league, finished off season hitting .288 1 home run , 7 rbi in 15 games. saunders started 2008 season once again in west tennessee, hit .290 8 home runs , 30 rbi in 67 games before being promoted tacoma rainiers of triple-a pacific coast league on june 17.

after beginning 2009 season rainiers hit .313 13 home runs , 32 rbi in 243 at-bats, saunders promoted tacoma on july 25, 2009, when mariners designated wladimir balentien assignment. made mlb debut day in game against cleveland indians @ safeco field, went hitless against jeremy sowers in mariners 10–3 loss. first major league hit single off of cliff lee on july 26, 2009.

on may 6, 2010, saunders recalled tacoma after mariners put milton bradley on restricted list. 3 days later, hit first major league home run off angels pitcher ervin santana. finished 2010 season .211 batting average, 10 home runs, , 33 rbi. saunders played 58 games mariners in 2011, , batted .149 2 home runs , 8 rbi.

in 2012, saunders played career-high 139 games , improved upon 2011 campaign. hit .247 19 home runs , 57 rbi. played in 132 games following season. saunders finished 2013 .236 batting average, 12 home runs, , 46 rbi. in 2014, saunders battled number of injuries limited him 78 games, finished career-high .273 average 8 home runs , 34 rbi.

toronto blue jays

at end of 2014 season, jack zduriencik, general manager of mariners, publicly criticized saunders work ethic, saunders challenged. on december 3, 2014, mariners traded saunders toronto blue jays in exchange pitcher j. a. happ. saunders agreed one-year, $2.875 million contract on january 16, 2015, avoid salary arbitration.

saunders during 2016 spring training

on february 25, saunders stepped on sprinkler head while shagging fly balls , tore meniscus. initially, expectation saunders on disabled list until all-star break. however, after having surgery remove 60% of meniscus, estimate reduced 4–6 weeks. assigned advanced-a dunedin blue jays rehab assignment on april 8. after blue jays lost 12–3 tampa bay rays on april 24, saunders activated off disabled list. experienced discomfort in knee in may, missing several games after having fluid drained , receiving cortisone injection. saunders returned line-up on may 9, placed on 15-day disabled list following day rest knee. after remaining on disabled list august, saunders officially shut down remainder of 2015 season on august 18. appeared in 9 games blue jays, batting .194 3 rbi.

on january 15, 2016, saunders , blue jays avoided salary arbitration agreeing one-year, $2.9 million contract. in 13–3 win on baltimore orioles on june 17, saunders hit 3 home runs first time in career, , joined joey votto, justin morneau, , larry walker canadian players hit 3 in game , becoming first canadian team. had 8 rbi in game, established career-high. saunders named 1 of 5 candidates all-star game final vote campaign on july 5. announced final vote winner on july 8. after all-star break, saunders struggled .178 batting average, 8 home runs, , 15 rbi. despite poor second half of season, saunders still established several career-highs in 2016. ended campaign .253 batting average, 24 home runs, , 57 rbi in 140 games played. appeared in 8 postseason games blue jays, , hit .381 1 home run , rbi.

philadelphia phillies

on january 16, 2017, saunders agreed one-year, $8 million contract philadelphia phillies includes $9 million club option 2018 season. contract became official on january 19. struggled .205 average 6 home runs last place phillies during first 3 months of season. on june 20, saunders designated assignment phillies. released 3 days later.

return toronto

on june 28, 2017, saunders signed minor league contract toronto blue jays. on august 31, blue jays manager john gibbons announced saunders called on september 1.