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Sept. 2: 1B Ty France exits Saturday's game with right elbow contusion
The Majors' leader in hit-by-pitches this season, France was drilled for the 29th time by Mets reliever Grant Hartwig in the sixth inning of Saturday's 8-7 win. In his third at-bat, the right-handed-hitting France took a 95.1 sinker off his elbow. He immediately jogged out of the batter's box and bent over in pain, and Mariners manager Scott Servais grimaced as he and the training staff went out to check on France. One of the best defensive first baseman in the game, France quickly made his way down the dugout steps and into the clubhouse for medical attention. The injury is considered a contusion, as X-rays were negative.

“He's going to be sore. Just have to see how he is in the morning.” Servais said. “... When he goes out like that and he goes down like that -- it didn't hit the elbow pad, that got inside of the elbow -- so it's always concerning. He gets hit a lot, he can take and wear a lot of it. Fortunately, there are no bones broken there, just a contusion. Hopefully, [he can] get the swelling down and get back in there soon.”

Sept. 1: CF Julio Rodríguez (left foot soreness) returns to the lineup
After missing the final two games of Seattle's series against the A's on Tuesday and Wednesday, the hottest player in the American League returned to the starting lineup in center field for the opener of a three-game set against the Mets.

Rodríguez underwent further testing and treatment on the foot and traveled with the club to New York. Specifically, Rodríguez experienced a "pinched nerve situation" when conducting his pregame routine on Tuesday, per manager Scott Servais, and the issue didn't surface until roughly 30 minutes before first pitch.

“Julio’s feeling better today. We were hoping the off-day would help. ... He’s ready to go.” Servais said on Friday. “We’ll see when he starts running around out there how he’s doing. We expect him to do his normal things on the bases and play like he always does.”

Sept. 1: RHP George Kirby (illness) will return on Sunday vs. Mets
Though he was scratched from Tuesday's scheduled start against the A's, Kirby said he felt "all right" the next day, and the Mariners determined he is well enough to start the finale of their series against the Mets, per manager Scott Servais.

A first-time All-Star this season, Kirby has the highest strikeout-to-walk ratio (7.64) and fewest walks (36) through a pitcher's first 50 career starts in AL/NL history, excluding openers. Kirby, who carries a 3.28 ERA across 156 1/3 innings, has been worth 3.9 wins above replacement, per FanGraphs, third most in the American League.

Sept. 1: RHP Dominic Leone activated; 2B Sam Haggerty recalled from Triple-A Tacoma
The Mariners brought back a familiar face on Thursday when they brought in Leone, who was among five players that the reeling Angels placed on waivers in an attempt to shed salary. Seattle will only owe him one month's pay on the $605,000 he's earning this season.

Additionally, the club designated reliever Devin Sweet to clear a 40-man roster spot.

Seattle added Leone and Haggerty to the 28-man roster for the September stretch run. Leone returns to the organization that selected him in the 16th round of the 2012 MLB Draft and developed him into a Major League reliever, while Haggerty rejoins the big league club to bring more athleticism and versatility to the bench.

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INJURY UPDATES

10-day/15-day IL

OF Jarred Kelenic (left foot fracture)
Expected return: Mid-September
Kelenic joined Triple-A Tacoma on Aug. 31 to begin a Minor League rehab assignment, two weeks removed from being out of the protective boot on his left foot. He'll need more than just a few games, though, and will see time at both designated hitter and in the outfield. Kelenic has been at the club's Spring Training facility in Arizona tracking pitches and completing other rehab. (Last updated: Aug. 31)

C Tom Murphy (left thumb sprain)
Expected return: TBD
Murphy was "given clearance to take baseball activities to the next level" by Dr. Donald Sheridan, a orthopedic hand surgeon in Arizona, Mariners GM Justin Hollander said. He suffered the injury when a ball in the dirt spiked back up and hit him in his catching thumb during an outing in Seattle's Aug. 11-13 series against the Orioles.

"Some of this is just going to be a pain discomfort tolerance thing," Hollander said, adding that surgery is not on the table when he spoke with reporters on Aug. 25. It's still unclear how long Murphy will be sidelined. (Last updated: Aug. 25)

60-day IL

RHP Emerson Hancock (right shoulder strain)
Expected return: 2024
Hancock underwent a platelet rich plasma injection on Aug. 22 to try to speed up his healing process to what Mariners GM Justin Hollander described as a Grade One Plus strain.

There is no tear or structural damage in the rookie's shoulder, though given that the recovery time frame of his injury was roughly 4-6 weeks when he suffered it during an Aug. 20 start in Houston, Hancock's 2023 season is likely over due to the limited remaining schedule. He was transferred to the 60-day IL on Aug. 22, one day after being placed on the 15-day. (Last updated: Aug. 25)

LHP Marco Gonzales (left flexor)
Expected return: TBD
Gonzales underwent season-ending surgery on Aug. 22 to release the tension around the anterior interosseous nerve that had been lingering for more than two months in his pitching forearm. Gonzales estimated that by doing so now, he’ll be able to go through a regular offseason throwing program and be ready when pitchers and catchers report in Arizona in February. (Last updated: Aug. 25)

RHP Penn Murfee (right elbow inflammation)
Expected return: 2024
After meeting with the Mariners' head orthopedist, Dr. Jason King, and Dr. Keith Meister, the renowned specialist based in Arlington, Murfee determined that the best course of action in his recovery was to undergo season-ending UCL surgery.

Murfee was shelved twice this season due to right elbow inflammation, on May 6 then again on June 12, one day after his first appearance back off the IL. He was transferred to the 60-day IL in early July. (Last updated: July 5)

LHP Robbie Ray (left flexor tendon injury, Tommy John surgery)
Expected return: 2024
Ray was transferred to the 60-day IL on June 12 as part of a roster formality in order to clear a spot for reliever Ty Adcock to be added to the 40-man. The lefty won't begin throwing until at least six months following the procedure, which he underwent on May 3. (Last updated: June 12)

RHP Easton McGee (right flexor strain)
Expected return: 2024
McGee, who carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning of his MLB debut and then hit the shelf with the injury, will likely undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery, which would also be performed by Dr. Keith Meister, Robbie Ray’s surgeon.

“What they are seeing is that the instability in his UCL is causing the flexor to not feel properly, so no matter how much you do on the rehab for the flexor, the UCL seems to be causing a problem,” GM Justin Hollander said. (Last updated: May 22)

1B Evan White (left groin strain, hip surgery)
Expected return: September
White underwent surgery on his left hip, the same area he underwent a season-ending procedure in 2021. The surgery was performed by Dr. Bryan T. Kelly of the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. (Last updated: May 22)

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