3:47PM: The Mariners have officially announced France’s IL placement, which is retroactive to June 24. Infielder Drew Ellis was called up from Triple-A to take France’s spot on the active roster.
8:45AM: Mariners first baseman Ty France tells Daniel Kramer of MLB.com that he has a Grade 2 flexor strain in his left arm and will be placed on the 10-day injured list.
France was playing first base on Thursday when Sheldon Neuse hit a ground ball that resulted in a close play at the bag. As France reached for the throw, he and Neuse made contact, with Neuse’s body appearing to bend France’s wrist back. France dropped to the ground in obvious pain and left the game.
Losing France will undoubtedly be a blow to the Mariners, as he has been the club’s best hitter over the past two years. Acquired from the Padres in a seven-player deal at the 2020 deadline, France hit .291/.368/.445 last year. That resulted in a 129 wRC+, the highest such mark among qualified Mariners on the year. This season, he’s taken his game to an even higher level, as he’s currently hitting .316/.390/.476, which gives him a 157 wRC+. That’s easily the best mark among qualified hitters on the team and the 11th-best in all of baseball this year.
Subtracting that kind of production would hurt any lineup, but the Mariners will face a particular challenge, given the lack of obvious options to step up and take his place. France has started all but three of Seattle’s game at first base this year, with Abraham Toro getting one and Dylan Moore getting the other two. Toro is having a miserable season, currently sitting on a line of .167/.217/.307. He’s also the team’s utility infielder, being used to give the occasional off-day to players like Adam Frazier and Eugenio Suarez, making him ill-suited to take over everyday action at first. Moore is hitting .170/.342/.330 in a part-time role. Despite the low batting average, his 14.2% walk rate is helping him to a wRC+ of 107, though that might be harder to maintain with full-time at-bats. Evan White, who once seemed like the club’s first baseman of the future, is currently on the 60-day IL. Kramer recently noted that he’s not close to a return and won’t be able to fill in.
Despite an aggressive offseason and high expectations coming into the season, the Mariners are in a tight spot right now. Their 33-39 record places them six games out of a playoff spot as of today. The trade deadline is just over a month away, making the next batch of games very important for teams to determine how aggressive they want to be as the August 2 deadline approaches. The Mariners will now have to navigate at least ten days of that stretch without their best bat.
Evan White (on the 60 day DL) is finishing up his rehab and Mariners have an open 40 man spot. We should see the Mariners activate him and give him run as France’s temporary replacement.
Evan white just had a setback in his rehab, he won’t be back for a while if at all..
Was not aware of that. Thanks for the info.
White can’t hit his way out of a paper bag. M’s are in desperate need of another bat. Upton cannot cut it and it looks like Mitch and Lewis will still be out a while. No one on minors to call up, save Kelenic and I dont see him coming back for a while no matter how well he hits in Tacoma. Jerry is going to have to make a deal. How about a Vogelback reunion? Stefan Ramano, if he doesn’t stick with the Dodgers? Nelson Cruz would not cost much. Maybe the Yankees finally give up Andujar?
Dom Smith … ?
Give up assets for Smith and then be in the same predicament the Mets are with him once France returns?
toycannon, I never understood why they bothered with Upton at all.
I think you’re right, “Jerry is going to have to make a deal.”
That just about sums it up. Losing France for a while hurts.
In the meantime, the Mariners will have to continue cobbling up their lineups and hope for the best. Like the article says, Toro and Moore alternating, but the nod goes to Dylan Moore who I think will prove himself to be an asset.
Hits, Dylan. We need hits.
Josh Bell from the Nats. He’s a pending free agent so shouldn’t cost a lot in prospects.
12 games out of the division and 6 games out of the last wild card spot with the Rangers, Angels, White Sox, Twins, and Rays all ahead of the Mariners. Seattle should be sellers. Mariners are tied with the Orioles…. nobody is confusing them with being a playoff contender.
jonathan, the sport of baseball, like all sports, lives on a factor one might call “the imponderable.”
If it were not for that, people would hardly pay to see the games.
We go to games, ever optimists, hoping to witness the imponderable.
Look at all the great come-from-behind stories in baseball, and you will find nothing to show that the Mariners can’t do the same thing.
That’s what makes baseball great. In fact, the greatest.
“And I was there to see it!” Great stories to pass on to the grandkids.
“6 games out of the wild card in June. Better give up and sell”
Lol
Bell will cost something, which is more than an out of contention team should be spending.
Cosmo2, I see your point. Six games out with 91 to go isn’t that bad, but I think France is important enough that his absence will hurt. Seems they need another bat to make up for it. I don’t relish the thought of having to replace France with Moore, Padlo, etc., and don’t think they’d need to go into full sell mode to find someone better. Whatever… just glad France’s injury isn’t worse!
His absence will hurt a lot. No reason to panic and make it harder to win next year in order to win a few more this year. This is a team that needs a new plan, not to go for it.
Hey Fred, I think you’re right about Upton he hasn’t shown much, looks like wishful thinking has run it course. On Moore I like Moore’s prospects still has his problems hitting I wish they would fix that. It’s plane to see he swings at too many inside pitches also he swings up to often causing too many popups where has the hitting coach been. but like you I think they should play him more often. Look at Raleigh since he’s playing more do to circumstances he now looks good to go. .
Look it’s to early to count them out. They have had there share of misfortune, with Haniger, Lewis, Murphy, and now France out,. also there has been some under performances with Winker,, Saurez, Torro, Frazier., This will certainly need to be sorted out though Winker, and Saurez seem to be improving I do expect they will make some kind of trade to boost this hitting. Now the the pitching looks good in most cases keeping them in the games. so they should remain competitive until reinforcement come. You come back an let us know how this is working for you later.. .
Evan White isn’t a solution to anything baseball. He can’t hit well enough to be a SS.
Or a catcher for that matter
Evan White got his hip fixed and then got a really serious hernia in recovery. I hope it was an example of him just pushing too hard and NOT an example of his body crumbling on him.
That’s unlikely to happen.
Solano or drury from the Reds. I believe Jerry knows the Reds number.
Lol. I love Donnie Barrels. Hope he fully recovers from his injury. He only has 12 AB so far this year
Seemed to recover just fine with that shot he hit off the wall for a double the other day.
First basemen who can hit are everywhere. Go get one and then use him as a DH when Ty comes back, which they need anyway. Josh Bell works. Rockies are looking for playing time for the stud prospect they got for Arenado, so CJ Cron’s available. Probably half a dozen others. Non-issue if they get aggressive.
I believe Winker can play 1st. You could opt for a dh or of instead depending on what’s available. Just need another above average hitter.
Mariners to send Chris Flexen to France
When it rains, it pours.
This is fantastic news, man. It looked really bad. I was scared that his shoulder was involved. Thank god
Wow, I didn’t realize what a monster season this guy was having!
He has been amazing! Already can’t wait for him to come back.
Nice username. Jason Varitek and Derek Lowe. Lol kills me everytime
Thanks, Hawk! I suppose it’s a form of self-punishment for taking the franchise so seriously over the years… LOL! But yes, it is one way to memorialize what has to be one of the worst trades in Mariner history… a bunch of hokum that one was!
I guess no All-Star game appearance for Ty.
Not true, I just checked and tickets are still for sale. He can go if he really wants to.
My guess is Haggerty comes back up and Moore moves back to the outfield. Either that or they give Kelenic a chance, but I think they’re more concerned about his long-term development, and he hasn’t yet accomplished what they sent him down for.
The Angele and Mariners have got to improve their drafting and player development. Years of low farm rankings, glad theyre not my team.
Mariners farm system was ranked in the top 5 by most major publications coming into the season. They have a great system with potential impact players at the top and are rich with pitching depth. Graduations and a few trades have taken some of the overall depth away but that’s just a natural occurrence for a team trying to come out of a rebuild.
Nice way to tell us how you know nothing about the Mariners.
thx for the info. Wish seattle the best. Just hate seeing the same teams for 10+urs not make the post season.
Flexor strains for a 1B isn’t as huge of a deal as it is with pitchers or other positions that require a solid throwing arm. France might only need the 10 day minimum. In the meantime they can piece together a platoon of Toro/Moore, or experiment with Winker at 1B while putting Moore out to LF. Moore’s meager slash line is misleading to what he brings as a player, and you havw to watch him to fully appreciate what he does. His speed is elite (9 steals in a part time role), when he runs into a pitch he can drive he’s making the most out of it (14% barrel rate per statcast), and he brings solid defense all over the field. He’s Enrique Hernandez lite.
Imo Mariners should try to trade for one of the royals first base prospects (pasquantino or pratto). At least one of them will be blocked and the Royals might want to spin a deal here
Eh, idk. Royals are in the same boat (under .500, bottom half of their division). They might be in sell mode. Not sure what the Mariners’ plan is because they have a talented roster but are underperforming. The biggest pieces they’d be most willing to trade (Haniger, Frazier, Gonzales, Winker) are either injured or having down years so it’d be selling low if they did go in sell mode. They aren’t in or near a playoff position so they shouldn’t empty the farm for more big league pieces yet either.
At least this was on his Left arm, instead of his Right Arm. As a right handed hitter most of your power AB is coming from your right arm. I personally don’t think this impact his ABs at all once he returns!
The biggest concern I have with our current roster is the Mariners have a HORRIBLE bench! I think the BEST trade move right now would be to land Witt Merrifield from KC. They are ready to sell NOW! The minute France gets back, Merrifield can man any position in the field. Dipoto like very diverse players…it doesn’t get anymore diverse than Merrifield! Plus he immediately improves our bench, and Toro can be sent home packing!
Merrifield is a negative value these days. Still don’t get why a team this far under .500 would be buyers right now
DrFelix, agree with you on the horrendous lack of depth. Cosmo, agree with you on Merrifield. I like the way Raleigh and Trammell seem to be figuring some things out, maybe part of the answer lies in just letting kids such as those two develop.
I definitely think patience is the key for Seattle. They’ll be a force to be reckoned with soon, just can’t rush it or jump the gun. Like you say, let the young ones develop.
Yes, Trammel is showing some good signs, and Raleigh is often good in the clutch. That right there raises a player in my estimation. And I am starting to really like Trammel.
And let’s see how Padlo fits in. He’s in the lineup tonight hitting 5th and playing first base. If the skipper has him hitting 5th, that means he likes the guy’s bat.
I’m hoping the Mariners can win this series with the Angels. Nothing would be better in terms of buildling confidence.
Nothing builds success like success.
Like Cosmo2 says, they need patience. Some more success would help building patience.
I agree with Cosmo here. You aren’t going to get it all going at once with this team, particularly with bench guys, until this team develops/matures some more. It’s small pieces at a time and letting the youth develop. Heck, even the Yankees took this long to get everything in place, man. Look at the Mets, SD, LAD, and on and on. It’s plain tough to put together a ball club where all cylinders are firing, which is why baseball is the best sport with the most parity of all the pro team sports.
Time with this crew is key. They’re very young. Rodriguez is only going to mature and get better. Ty is going to heal and be just as good, pitching will be acquired, bench pieces will be acquired. And, they were already a playoff-bound team until the very last minute last season! And they’ll be better, much better in years to come. You guys don’t need Merrifield. He would be a final piece perhaps, if this were a few years ahead and they needed him. They have Trammell, Gilbert, Raleigh, and other up-and-comers too. Patience, man. Sooner than later, you’ll be peacocking on this site and slamming all of us because the Mariners will be where you want them to be…lol.
“Aggressive offseason” is laughable. This is going to hurt, especially for a player who’s going to be an all-star. M’s need some guys to step up or this season is a scratch.
Trammell has looked like he could play a nice role in a contending version of the M’s, Winker is starting to hit and Rodriguez is a budding star. It makes for a potentially strong outfield. But DH was already an issue and 1B now a hole as well. Trey Mancini is a nice fit, he can play 1B, corner of or DH, and he has a very affordable mutual $10M option for next year. He could play 1B until France is back and then DH rotate with Winker and Trammell at LF, RF and DH. He replaces Upton on the roster, clear upgrade woth the bat and can play 1b
Lot of injuries. I see Britton, I see France