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Seattle Mariners

Mariners outfielder Kyle Lewis beginning rehab assignment with Class AAA Tacoma

The Seattle Mariners' Kyle Lewis rips a solo home run in the second inning against the Texas Rangers on Friday, Aug. 21, 2020, at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. The Mariners won, 7-4. (Tribune News Service)
By Scott Hanson Seattle Times
The Seattle Mariners' Kyle Lewis rips a solo home run in the second inning against the Texas Rangers on Friday, Aug. 21, 2020, at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. The Mariners won, 7-4. (Tribune News Service)

The Mariners got some good news on the injury front Sunday as outfielder Kyle Lewis (concussion) will begin a rehab assignment with Class AAA Tacoma and was DH, batting second in the Rainiers’ lineup Sunday night when they played Salt Lake City.

Lewis went 0 for 1 with a walk and a flyout before being pinch-hit for in the fifth.

“He’ll be there a while,” Servais said. “He needs to get out and play, make sure he feels good, get his timing with his swing and get out in the outfield. … Obviously, it has been a while since he has played so he needs to get some game action.”

Lewis missed most of the first two months of the season recovering from a knee injury, then played in four games before suffering a concussion May 28. He made an immediate impact in the four games he played, hitting a pair of homers.

Lewis was only used as the DH in those four games to protect his knee.

He needed two days off after playing in the outfield at the start of an early May rehab assignment with Tacoma and was not in the outfield again with the Rainiers before his call-up.

This time with Tacoma, Lewis will see a lot of action in the outfield, according to Servais.

Lewis can spend 20 days on the rehab assignment, and the team is allowed to ask for an extension if it’s deemed necessary.

France remains out

First baseman Ty France (sprained elbow) is eligible to return from the injured list Monday, but Servais said Sunday. “I don’t think we will be activating him tomorrow.”

“I know he is from San Diego and he would love to do that, but he’s not quite ready yet.” Servais said. “He’s getting close, and we’ll wait and see how things progress with him today and tomorrow. Maybe there is an outside chance we could get him over the weekend – hopeful, but I don’t know. He has to get out on field, hit against some velocity and see what that feels like.”

France has been the team’s most productive hitter this season, hitting .316 with 10 home runs and 45 runs batted in, with an OPS of .867.