Dream comes true

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Dream comes true for former Auburn All-American

Updated: May. 28, 2024, 12:38 a.m.|Published: May. 28, 2024, 12:27 a.m.

3–4 minutes

Seattle Mariners second baseman Ryan Bliss on the field before his Major League debut in an American League game against the Houston Astros on Monday, May 27, 2024, at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.(AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

By

Mark Inabinett | minabinett@al.com

On Dec. 10, 2014, the Seattle Mariners tweeted a photo of their ballpark, Safeco Field, lit for the holiday. Three days from his 15th birthday, a teen in LaGrange, Georgia, commented on the tweet: “My dream one day.”

On Monday night, that dream came true. Ryan Bliss, the Georgia youngster, made his Major League debut as the starting second baseman for the Mariners at T-Mobile Park, once called Safeco Field, in an American League game against the Houston Astros.

Between LaGrange and the big leagues, Bliss played three seasons at Auburn, where he was a two-time All-American.

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Houston second baseman Jose Altuve popped up the first pitch of Monday night’s game, which Bliss caught for his first MLB putout. He had five putouts and two assists, including in the middle of a double play, in his debut, but also got charged with a throwing error on a double-play relay.

Bliss went 0-for-2 with a walk in the Mariners’ 3-2 victory. Bliss grounded out to second in the first inning, lined out to second in the fourth and walked in the sixth.

With two out in the eighth, Seattle manager Scott Servais sent left-handed batter Dominic Canzone up to pinch-hit for the right-handed swinging Bliss against right-handed reliever Tayler Scott.

The Mariners called up Bliss from the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers on Monday after placing infielder Jorge Polanco on the 10-day injured list.

MLB Pipeline ranks Bliss as the No. 11 prospect in Seattle’s system.

Bliss left Auburn as a second-round pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2021 draft. In three seasons at Auburn, Bliss had a .328 batting average, .397 on-base average and .514 slugging percentage. In 134 games for the Tigers, Bliss had 20 home runs and 22 stolen bases.

In four minor-league seasons, Bliss has a .262 batting average, .347 on-base average and .445 slugging percentage. In 327 games across five levels, Bliss has 239 runs, 72 doubles, 15 triples, 46 home runs, 182 RBIs and 127 stolen bases.

Bliss has 28 stolen bases in 50 Pacific Coast League games for Tacoma this season.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.

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