PEORIA, Ariz. — What Mike Leake does on the mound this season really doesn’t matter. At least that’s the mentality he has tried to adopt.
The Mariners starting pitcher used to beat himself up mentally and physically until he reached a breaking point.
Toward the end of the 2016 season, Leake developed shingles, which he is convinced was due to stress. He would pitch with rage, pound the weights relentlessly and generally teem with anxiety.
It wasn’t healthy and he knew it. So he made some changes. The biggest one? Understanding he was just playing a game.