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Aug. 29: CF Julio Rodríguez (left foot soreness) scratched from lineup vs. A's
The hottest player in the American League was pulled from Seattle's starting lineup minutes before first pitch due to left foot soreness. In his stead, Cade Marlowe took over in center field, batting eighth.

Specifically, Rodríguez experienced a "pinched nerve situation" when conducting his pregame routine, per manager Scott Servais, and the issue didn't surface until roughly 30 minutes before first pitch.

"It was really bothering him," Servais said. "He's does feel better now. Really, day to day with that one. ... Pregame, he was good to go. It was just as his prep getting ready to get loose going through his routine in the weight room before he goes out and does the sprints, the trainer came in and said, 'We've got an issue here.' Julio tried to work through it. He just didn't feel he could go."

Rodríguez entered Tuesday having homered in a career-best three straight games while hitting .429/.474/.724 (1.198 OPS) in August, production that should make him a strong candidate for AL Player of the Month. He had a scheduled off-day last Monday in Chicago, then suffered a minor stomach illness the following day. Other than that, he's been a fixture in Seattle's lineup, having played in 126 of the Mariners' 131 games.

Aug. 29: RHP George Kirby (illness) scratched from start vs. A's
Roughly two hours before first pitch on Tuesday, the Mariners' second-year starter was pulled ahead of his 26th start of 2023 and 51st of his career with an illness. Luke Weaver, who the club signed last week to be a depth and bulk pitcher, instead started in Kirby's place.

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

He'll be re-slotted back into the rotation when he feels better, per Servais.

"We've got to wait and see how he comes in [Wednesday], and see what he feels there," Servais said. "I did talk to George today. He was in my office along with the pitching coaches, and we need to do the best thing for the player."

Aug. 29: 1B Ty France (left wrist contusion) exits during third inning vs. A's
The first baseman suffered the injury when a chopped pickoff attempt from Luke Weaver clipped his left thumb and wrist area, per manager Scott Servais.

“That swelled up on him, so again, the treatment on Ty, the swelling seems to have gone down a little bit early on," said Servais.

France is day to day and it's unclear how long he'll be sidelined.

Aug. 29: OF Jarred Kelenic (fractured left foot) to begin rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma on Thursday
Kelenic is slated to join the Rainiers and be in their starting lineup beginning Thursday. He's been on the fastest possible track back to the Majors since suffering the injury when kicking a Gatorade cooler in the dugout on July 20. The stint will be multiple games and feature Kelenic splitting time between designated hitter and the outfield.

"It's not going to be a one- or two-day thing," Mariners GM Justin Hollander said. "I don't want to set a number and have that be either way too long or way too short. That will be up to the medical people to determine."

Hollander added that the club is confident that Kelenic will return at 100% by season's end -- and that it sees him as a key contributor down the stretch.

"For sure," Hollander said. "I know he's champing at the bit right now and pushing as hard as you can possibly push to make sure that he is at 100% and can go full speed and be a huge contributor down the stretch. I know it's killing him right now to not be here contributing to what's going on, but he's projected to be back sometime mid-September."

By the time he's healthy, the Mariners will also have the luxury of an additional position-player roster spot as part of the active roster expanding in September. That should leave room for Dominic Canzone and Cade Marlowe -- both of whom have filled in formidably in left field -- to remain.

How they align their roster upon his return is another intrigue, as Kelenic profiles as their best defensive outfielder other than Julio Rodríguez. It's possible that Kelenic could see more action in right field upon returning, which could allow Seattle to allocate more DH days to Teoscar Hernández and keep Marlowe and Canzone in left. In that scenario, Mike Ford -- who is hitting .160/.276/.347 (.623 OPS) in the second half -- could be the odd man out.

"He's one of our best defensive outfielders and for big stretches, he's been one of our best hitters -- like, we will find a way," Hollander said of Kelenic. "Even with everybody playing the way they are, he fits on our team and we will be thrilled to get him back."

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INJURY UPDATES

10-day/15-day IL

OF Jarred Kelenic (left foot fracture)
Expected return: Mid-September
Kelenic was slated join Triple-A Tacoma some time during the week of Aug. 28 to begin a Minor League rehab assignment, at which point he'll be two weeks removed from being out of the protective boot from 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. 25)

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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