Improvement for Mariners’ Leonys Martin appears legit

12:58 PM ET

One of the biggest offseason deals so far has been the Seattle Mariners acquiring center fielder Leonys Martin from the Texas Rangers. The Mariners were in desperate need of a defensive upgrade in center and Martin had fallen out of favor with the Rangers after struggling with injuries and the bat in 2015. With the emergence of Delino DeShields in center, plus Nomar Mazara on the way, there wasn’t room for Martin in a crowded Texas outfield and he was a non-tender candidate.

Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto pounced quickly in the offseason, getting Martin for reliever Tom Wilhelmsen and corner infield prospect Patrick Kivlehan. Wilhelmsen is back in Triple-A after posting a 9.98 ERA and surrendering six home runs in 15.1 innings and Kivlehan is hitting .184 for Round Rock.

Martin, meanwhile, has played his usual above-average defense (plus-4 defensive runs saved), but the big bonus has been with the bat, where he’s been red hot in May. Tuesday night he did this:

Who let the dogs out?@leonys27martin.https://t.co/nyEYElGybY

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) May 25, 2016

That capped a big comeback by the Mariners. Robinson Cano hit a two-run homer in the eighth and then Martin hit the walk-off to give them a 6-5 win over the A’s. I love the Mariners’ announcers, with Jay Buhner cackling in …

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