Mariners’ Garver leaves game after foul ball off mask, forcing Raleigh to catch and forfeit DH

Seattle catcher Mitch Garver was removed from Thursday’s game at Minnesota after taking a foul ball off his mask in the fifth inning, forcing star Cal Raleigh to finish behind the plate and the Mariners to forfeit their designated hitter.

Mariners right-hander Emerson Hancock threw a 94 mph fastball to start against Twins right fielder Matt Wallner, and the 6-foot-4, 220-pound slugger knocked Garver’s mask off when he sharply fouled it off his face around the jaw and cheek. The Mariners’s staff carefully examined Garver before deciding to pull him out.

Garver missed time with a concussion after being hit by a foul ball during the 2018 season with the Twins, his original team.

The Mariners typically use Raleigh, the major league leader in home runs (32) and RBIs (69), as their designated hitter when he takes a break from catching.

But with Garver the only other catcher currently on the roster, manager Dan Wilson was forced to put Raleigh behind the plate and lose the DH for the remainder of the game, which began after a rain delay of 4 hours and 22 minutes.