The Seattle Mariners have placed former All-Star first baseman Ty France in definitive resignations Sunday, according to several reports.
If he approves the waivers, the Mariners will have the option of assigning France to the minors. Due to his length of service, France will have the option to decline the assignment.
The Mariners made the move amid a slide in the AL West standings and France’s career-worst slump. The 30-year-old France is slashing .224/.313/.351 in 87 games with eight home runs and 31 RBI. A career .264 hitter, France made the All-Star team with the Mariners in 2022 while slashing .274/.338/.436 with 20 home runs and 83 RBI. He is in his sixth MLB season.
Rookie Tyler Locklear will take over at first base. A former second-round pick, he was 6-for-30 with two home runs, three RBI and a stolen base in 11 MLB games this season.
Mariners hope to shake up stagnant offense
Seattle made the move amid a major offensive slump and a tight race with the Houston Astros for the AL West title. The Mariners are the worst-hitting team in baseball with a .218 batting average and rank 28th out of 30 teams in runs scored. His 1,038 strikeouts are by far the most in baseball. The Oakland A’s have the second most strikeouts with 967.
Despite the offensive struggles, the Mariners started 44-31 and led the AL West by as many as 10 games before the All-Star break. They went 8-14 in the last 22 games before the break, allowing the Astros to get back into the race.
Houston took control of the division by beating Seattle in two consecutive games since the break. The Mariners won Game 3 of the series to avoid a sweep and tie the Astros atop the division on Sunday.
France started Sunday’s game on the bench but replaced Julio Rodríguez in the lineup on a single after Rodríguez left the game late with a sprained ankle. X-rays of Rodríguez’s ankle were negative.
The Mariners reportedly dismissed France shortly after the game ended.
