<
>

Mariners' Locklear doubles in MLB debut, as France hits IL

The Seattle Mariners placed first baseman Ty France on the 10-day injured list with a right heel fracture Sunday while calling up prospect Tyler Locklear to make his major league debut.

France suffered the injury after being hit by a pitch during Friday's game against the Kansas City Royals and did not play Saturday. He is batting .251 with 7 home runs and 27 RBIs in 61 games this season.

Locklear, a 23-year-old first baseman, was called up from Triple-A Tacoma to take France's spot on the 26-man roster. He hit .293 with 9 homers and 33 RBIs in 51 games this season between Tacoma and Double-A Arkansas. On Sunday, he went 1-4 with a double and an RBI in Seattle's 6-5, 10-inning victory.

"I thought [the double] was going to hang up a little bit," Locklear said. "Just glad that ball got down and we got a run out of it."

The Mariners also called up right-hander Matt Bowman from Tacoma before the win. Bowman, 33, signed with Seattle on Tuesday after posting a 5.02 ERA with no decisions in nine relief appearances this year for the Minnesota Twins and Arizona Diamondbacks.

Seattle optioned Collin Snider to Tacoma and designated fellow right-handers Levi Stoudt and Eduardo Salazar for assignment in corresponding transactions.

Information from Field Level Media and the Associated Press was used in this report.