How Mariners will fill in for France at 1B

ANAHEIM -- Ty France landed on the 10-day injured list on Saturday with a left elbow sprain, a transaction that removed the most productive hitter in the Mariners’ already thin lineup for the immediate future.

France said he’ll use the next 3-4 days to rest and receive treatment, combat the inflammation then reevaluate. He may play some catch, but he won’t pick up a bat, as doctors and team athletic trainers informed him that swinging would present the most stress in the area.

“Not that they didn't seem as concerned, but because it's my non-throwing arm, I don't think it’s as worrisome,” said France, who initially feared that he tore his UCL after sustaining the injury in a collision at first base on Thursday. “Basically, the biggest test is going to be swinging. If I can let go of the bat and hold on to it with that one hand with full strength, that will be when I'm cleared.”

France and the Mariners couldn’t guesstimate a timetable, and the earliest he can return is July 4 due to the move being retroactive to Friday. The club is already down its best power hitter, Mitch Haniger (Grade 2 high ankle sprain), and another key slugger, Kyle Lewis (concussion), making France’s absence loom even larger. The first baseman has made a strong push to earn his first All-Star bid, having slashed .316/.390/.476 (.866 OPS) with a team-high 2.3 Wins Above Replacement, per FanGraphs.

So, Seattle will press on -- and here’s how that first base fill-in situation might look:

The internal options
Kevin Padlo made his second career start at first on Saturday, after Dylan Moore got the nod on Friday. Mariners manager Scott Servais also said that Abraham Toro and Luis Torrens could see action there, too. That foursome has a combined 31 games of experience at the position.

“I'm not quite sure how it's all going to play out,” Servais said. “We'll give a number of guys an opportunity -- matchup-based, just keep rotating it through. I don't think just finding one guy you're going plop in there and say, 'OK, you're going to play every day until Ty gets back.’ That’s probably not the direction we’ll go in. We'll mix it up.”

In a corresponding roster move, infielder Drew Ellis -- who was claimed off waivers from Arizona on June 16 -- was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma. Servais mentioned that Ellis could see time at first, though his only experience at the position is 28 games in the Minors. Ellis, a former second-round Draft pick, has just 34 games of big league experience.

Evan White will not factor into immediate playing time due to a setback with his hernia and hip injuries that halted his rehab assignment with Tacoma on June 14. The 2020 Gold Glove Award winner hasn’t played in the Majors since May 2021, and Servais mentioned that he’ll need prolonged playing time in the Minors once he’s healthy enough before he’s ready to return.

The external options
If those options sound limited, the trade market is just as barren currently -- and the Aug. 2 Trade Deadline is far enough off that any transactions this early, with many teams still in the playoff hunt, will likely cost a premium.

The most notable impact option is switch-hitting Josh Bell, who is slashing .303/.386/.487 (.873 OPS) with 11 homers and 141 wRC+ (league average is 100) for the last-place Nationals. His defensive metrics have improved notably over the past two seasons, too, as he ranks in the 66th percentile this year in Outs Above Average. He’s almost certainly going to get moved in the next few weeks, but he’s also going to be a free agent in the offseason and would cost premium prospect capital.

The Mariners aren't as deep as when their farm system was ranked No. 2 by MLB Pipeline in March, after graduating Julio Rodríguez and George Kirby, and sending starting pitcher Brandon Williamson to the Reds in the trade that returned Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suárez. They’ve also paused in dealing from that depth, especially for a rental.

Some fans have clamored for another Nationals slugger, former Mariner Nelson Cruz, but his inability to play first base makes that incredibly unlikely. Other first basemen who could become available include Baltimore's Trey Mancini, Miami’s Jesús Aguilar and Garrett Cooper, Kansas City’s Hunter Dozier, the Mets’ Dominic Smith and more. None are as impactful as France.

The ripple effect
Translation: For now, the Mariners will operate with what they have, which could feature even more matchup-dictated lineups.

On Saturday against Angels lefty Patrick Sandoval, Moore, who has an .850 OPS against lefties, started at second base over Adam Frazier, who has a .580 OPS against southpaws and is slashing .220/.292/.295 overall in what’s been a trying first season in Seattle. Toro switch-hits but is far better from the left side, Padlo’s splits are better against righties, and Ellis, against lefties. Torrens has been far more inconsistent after crushing lefties last year.

Servais had already used 54 lineups in 72 games entering Saturday, and with France out, he’ll continue to mix things up.