Mariners Make Roster Moves with Major Implications on Tuesday; Here's What it Means
The Seattle Mariners made a fairly simple roster move with fairly big consequences on Tuesday morning ahead of the series opener with the Cleveland Guardians.
Per @MarinersPR on social media:
.@Mariners roster moves:
Ty France, INF, reinstated from 10-day Injured List.
Seby Zavala, C, designated for assignment.
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.@Mariners roster moves:
— Mariners PR (@MarinersPR) June 18, 2024
🔹 Ty France, INF, reinstated from 10-day Injured List.
🔹 Seby Zavala, C, designated for assignment.
Read more:
In bringing back France, the M's are getting back their starting first baseman and former All-Star. France is hitting .251 this season with seven homers and should insert again between the middle and bottom half of the order.
In jettisoning Zavala, the M's are losing a player who was hitting just .154 in sparing action. Though he has been on the roster all season, he's gotten just 39 at-bats and had played only twice in the month of June.
As for what else the move means:
Mitch Garver is the backup catcher
The Mariners signed Garver to a two-year deal with the purpose of him being the team's designated hitter. However, he's hitting just .173 this year with eight homers and 25 RBI. He's posted only a .299 on-base percentage. The team started using him at catcher for the purpose of getting his bat going, and now they seem committed to using him at catcher more often.
As for what this does to the rest of his playing time, it remains to be seen. Will the team be willing to play Cal Raleigh at catcher and him at designated hitter? Or is Garver about to retreat into a bench role only? Would the M's give Raleigh time at DH while Garver catches? That remains to be seen also.
Tyler Locklear is here to stay
Locklear, the team's No. 8 overall prospect (according to MLB.com) was called up to take France's place when he went on the IL and he's hit .222 with two homers and six RBI through his first major league action. He only had a cup of coffee even at Triple-A before his call-up, so how the M's use him will be interesting to monitor. Will they play France at first base and Locklear at DH to continue his development? The other way around? Or will Locklear become a bench bat who loses out on important developmental time?
The DH spot is going to get very messy
As you've seen above.... Raleigh, Garver, France, Locklear - all of them fit in the designated hitter conversation somehow. Add in Mitch Haniger and the group's rotating cast of outfielders and you're really putting a stress on manager Scott Servais.
The Mariners take on the Guardians on Tuesday afternoon at 3:40 p.m. PT. We'll have to see what Servais cooks up for the lineup.
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