Off IL, Lewis not 'holding back on anything'

SEATTLE -- Kyle Lewis is indeed “all systems go.” The Mariners activated the reigning American League Rookie of the Year from the 10-day injured list ahead of Tuesday’s 1-0 loss to the Dodgers. He went 0-for-3 with a walk while batting second and playing center field.

In a corresponding move, outfielder Braden Bishop was optioned to the alternate training site.

• What's next for the AL Rookie of the Year?

“Very special,” Lewis said after the game. “I think that I never take it for granted, being able to play. And so any time I'm able to run out there, put the uniform on, it’s always special. And especially after being out for a little bit, definitely a lot of energy, a lot of adrenaline going.”

Seattle opted to keep José Marmolejos on the 26-man roster over Bishop, even though he won’t have a regular position now that Lewis has returned. Marmolejos had taken the reins in left field since Jake Fraley went down and has also spelled Evan White at first base occasionally.

Bishop is the superior defender, but Marmolejos’ power threat from the left side -- which was again on display with a 114.1 mph home run in Monday’s 4-3 win -- coupled with some defensive versatility made him more appealing to keep.

“I thought Marmo had a really good Spring Training, and when we were trying to make kind of final cuts and when you're putting the final roster together, it's kind of like how all the pieces work together,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “And where we were at, we like the versatility with Dylan Moore, what [Sam] Haggerty brings. Marmo getting added late, certainly the left-handed bat with power, I think Marmo has gotten better.”

Lewis missed the first 17 games of the season due to a deep bone bruise in his right knee, which has kept him sidelined since a March 22 Cactus League game, when he awkwardly collided with the wall. But Lewis, who spoke with reporters for the first time since then on Tuesday, said there wasn’t a direct correlation between that contact.

“I definitely didn't anticipate being out for this amount of time,” Lewis said. “But I didn’t necessarily hit my knee against the wall. It just kind of was something that I think just kind of happens over the course of being an athlete, trying to be athletic and make plays.”

Lewis tore his ACL in the same knee shortly after being selected as the No. 11 overall pick in the 2016 Draft.

“You never know, especially with knees -- as far as my experiences in the past -- you never know timetables because it's tough to put a value on those kind of things,” Lewis said. “So I just tried to take it day by day, and it ended up being the amount of time that it was, but it's just kind of one of those things. When you try to be athletic, try to make plays, sometimes, you know, things happen.”

While sidelined, Lewis took regular reps both at the plate and in the field at the alternate site, which is held at T-Mobile Park, over the past two weeks.

Lewis comes off the IL “100 percent” healthy, Servais said. At the time of his injury, the Mariners weren’t aware of its severity until an MRI was taken a few days later.

“I had no idea when he banged his knee that it was going to take this long,” Servais said. “But I'm glad that we were patient with it. I think he's at peace. He's 100 percent. He's not worried about holding back on anything. He can go out and be himself and just go play.”

Taylor Trammell, who has filled Lewis' void in center field, started in left field for Tuesday's game, where he will likely remain until No. 1 prospect Jarred Kelenic arrives.

Mariners get ‘lucky’ with France HBP
The Mariners dodged a big blow on Monday when X-rays came back negative on Ty France’s forearm after he was plunked by one of Dustin May’s famed inside-running two-seam fastballs -- this one clocked at 98.4 mph. But he was back in the batter’s box Tuesday as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning, and he took infield practice pregame.

Both were promising signs for the slugger after he was forced to exit Monday’s 4-3 win with significant inflammation. After he was hit, France couldn’t throw from third to first base upon taking infield drills between innings. The Mariners are off on Wednesday, which will allow for another day to heal, then begin a four-game series at Boston on Thursday.

“Better than I thought he would be doing,” Servais said. “I know when he woke up this morning, it was really stiff. He was in here early, got a bunch of treatment. He actually popped his head in my office and says he can be good to go, but I think it's best to maybe give him a day … So we got lucky. Any time anybody gets hit up around the wrist, hands, forearm area, you never know what's going to happen.”