We could make a pretty good case for Michael Arroyo getting the September call. The Mariners have decided to go for the big here, and we can totally get behind that. Seattle is reportedly calling up Lázaro Montes from Triple-A Tacoma, with the 21-year-old outfielder expected to join the club in Boston on Tuesday as active rosters expand to 28 players. That gives the Mariners a chance to find out how much of his enormous power can help them right now.

His bat has definitely earned the look. Through Aug. 30, Montes hit .274/.369/.571 with 13 home runs in 44 games for Tacoma. He has a .940 OPS, with 38 homers across Double-A and Triple-A this season.

The Mariners are looking for any boost in September they can get. And they’re finally going the homegrown route, albeit conveniently when rosters expand. 

Montes brings the possibility of creating a loud inning. Seattle could use another hitter capable of punishing mistakes.

Lázaro Montes’ Triple-A Production Makes His Mariners Call-Up Worth the Risk

He hit a home run at 115.9 mph on Aug. 21. That’s the kind of contact behind the excitement. The M’s signed him for $2.5 million in 2022. Now the 6-foot-5 lefty has a chance to make that investment matter in a major league lineup. There’s something satisfying about watching a prospect’s biggest selling point carry him all the way to this opportunity.

Before we lose our minds, we must remember the swing-and-miss will certainly come with him. Montes struck out in roughly 31 percent of his Tacoma plate appearances, and major league pitchers will have better ways to keep him from getting comfortable. He’ll need to recognize which pitches he can punish and resist giving away swings on the rest. 

Expect some rough nights. A rookie with this profile can look overmatched in one plate appearance and change the game in the next. The Mariners have to give him enough chances for the second part to happen.

Expanding the roster creates space for Montes. But they still have to create at-bats for him. Scattering pinch-hit appearances would make it difficult to learn much about how quickly he can adjust.

They should give him plenty of runway. Let him face major league pitching often enough to make adjustments. Judge the quality of his at-bats alongside the inevitable clips of him launching baseballs. They should be willing to live with some early frustration. Calling up a young power hitter means giving him room to learn while asking him to contribute, and that takes more patience than celebrating the announcement.

Montes has done enough damage in Tacoma to earn this opportunity. Seattle is betting on the bat. Now let him take his hacks.