Ty France Moves Signals the Mariners Are Finally Acting with Urgency

On Sunday after they beat the Houston Astros, the Seattle Mariners placed longtime first baseman Ty France on irrevocable waivers, meaning his time with the organization is coming to an end.

It’s no doubt a tough move for the organization, as France was a player they liked enough to acquire back in the 2020 season. He was a firm part of this team’s rebuild, earning an All-Star appearance in 2022 and helping the team break the long playoff drought. By all accounts, he’s a likable guy and a good teammate and no one here (or anywhere) relishes good people losing their jobs.

But the move also signals that the Mariners are finally acting with a sense of urgency. Seattle is in a battle right now with the Houston Astros, with the two locked in a virtual tie in the American League West standings, and for the last month, the M’s have just slogged along.

With just 61 games to play and a division title in front of them, the Mariners can’t afford to just slog along. They can’t afford to sit back and let the Astros come and take what should be theirs.

Now, France is not the only Mariner who is slumping this year, but his fall-off is among the most pronounced. Over the last 30 games, France is hitting .163 with a .245 slugging percentage. Playing a power position, he has just eight home runs for the year.

They simply couldn’t afford to keep playing him with that little of production. By making this decision, the organization is finally showing signs that they understand how great the opportunity in front of them is, even if it’s tough.

NEW PODCAST EPISODE IS OUT: The fourth episode of the “Refuse to Lose” podcast is now out! In this episode, we discuss how the Mariners can beat the Astros, what they need to not do in the series, Andres Munoz not getting in the All-Star Game and more, including our interview with Bryant Robinson, who directed the Julio Rodriguez documentary that recently aired on FS1. CLICK HERE:

HOPING FOR JULIO: Julio Rodriguez left the game on Sunday with a scary looking ankle injury, but initial reports are good. Here’s the latest. CLICK HERE:

BYE-BYE, Baumann: The Mariners have traded relief pitcher Mike Baumann to an NL West foe. CLICK HERE:

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