Ty France stays with Mariners, and will play through the pain of left wrist

Tuesday, the Mariners made a series of roster moves, which are always expected this time of the year, before the opener of a two-game series against the Rockies.

But it was the roster move that wasn’t made that was most notable.

Seattle did not have to put infielder/designated hitter Ty France on the 10-day injured list due to his ailing left wrist.

In fact, France was back in the starting lineup Tuesday as the designated hitter and batting fourth.

“Ty got his wrist looked at this morning,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “He feels a little bit better today than he did the other day. It’s just something he feels when he swings and misses. The initial look from what I understand on the MRI was it’s a deep bone bruise. It’s nothing that’s going to heal or just go away with six or seven or 10 days down, it’s something he’ll have to play with. He’ll feel it once in a while. He’ll feel it worse on certain days more than others.”

And while it’s something France will have to endure, the Mariners are going to be cognizant on days where it might be more sore.

“If it’s sore today when he goes out and takes BP or whatever, he may be a late scratch,” Servais said. “But right now he’s in the lineup and good to go.”

France showed no issues in batting practice, spraying line drives all over T-Mobile Park. Of course, you don’t swing and miss during batting practice.

In the victory Sunday over the Rays, France was in obvious discomfort following a foul ball and a swing-and-miss on a curve ball in the dirt. He remained in the game to play defense and then was removed for a pinch-runner.

The original injury — a bone bruise in his left wrist — came when France dove for a ground ball while playing second base in a late-April game against the Astros at Minute Maid Park.

He tried to play through the discomfort, but it basically began to hurt on every swing. The results were as expected.

Before that Astros series, France played 22 games, posting a .316/.409/.532 slash line with eight doubles, three homers, 13 RBI, nine walks and 22 strikeouts in 93 plate appearances.

In the next 15 games, including the Astros series, France had a .096/.217/.115 slash line with a double, an RBI, seven walks and 10 strikeouts in 60 plate appearances.

He was placed on the 10-day injured list May 13 and was activated May 24.

In the 27 games since coming back, he has a .323/.398/.505 slash line with nine doubles, three homers, 14 RBI, six walks, 14 strikeouts and seven hit by pitches.

As for the other roster moves, the Mariners recalled Donovan Walton from Class AAA Tacoma and optioned right-handed pitcher Yohan Ramirez back to Tacoma. Seattle was short a bench position player after recalling two pitchers Friday when Justin Dunn was placed on the injured list.

Earlier in the day, the Mariners claimed utility player Jake Hager off waivers from the Brewers. He’s expected to report to Class AAA Tacoma in the next few days.

To make room for Hager, first baseman Evan White was transferred from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day injured list.