The Mariners are currently without their top hitter in first baseman Ty France, but he’s optimistic he’ll be back in Seattle’s lineup sooner rather than later.

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France suffered a left elbow injury last Thursday against the Oakland Athletics when he reached to his left for a throw from third baseman Abraham Toro. Sheldon Neuse collided with France, whose left arm bent awkwardly due to the collision. France was placed on the 10-day injured list last weekend.

France told The Mike Salk Show on Seattle Sports 710 AM that he’s “bouncing back” from the injury and is thankful it wasn’t quite as serious as it first appeared.

“It’s getting better each day,” he said Wednesday morning. “Thankfully it wasn’t as bad as it could have been. So just taking it day-by-day right now, but each day it seems to be getting better.”

France initially thought that he would be missing a lot more time with the injury.

“To be honest, I thought everything in my arm had blown out,” he said. “I thought (with my) elbow, shoulder and wrist, there’s kind of a specific spot where it hurts, so I thought that’s where I tore something or something blew out in there. But thankfully  it wasn’t as bad as it sounded and felt.”

France is eligible to be activated early next week, but when will he be suiting up for the Mariners next?

“I’m hoping it won’t be too much longer. I’m shooting for the next hopefully 10 days,” France said. “But we’re just going to take it day-to-day right now and see where we’re at. It seems to be getting better. So hopefully we stay on that path.”

All-Star candidate

France has been arguably the best first baseman in the American League this season and he currently is in second place in All-Star voting for that position. France has a few reasons he’s hoping to make his first All-Star Game.

“It would mean a lot. Not only being my first All Star game, but it’s in LA, (my) hometown,” France told Salk. “Being able to experience that with family and friends would be some something really special. And to be able to represent for the city of Seattle, we’ve put in a lot of hard work to get to this point, and, to be able to go out there, it would mean a lot.”

France grew up roughly 30 minutes from this year’s All-Star Game venue, Dodger Stadium. He also grew up watching All-Star Games and the festivities around the event.

“You grow up watching the game, watching All-Star Games, Home Run Derbies and just seeing the interactions and how much fun it is, and, to be able to be in that position now and hopefully be there, it’d be really cool just to surround yourself with the best in the game and get that confirmation that you belong there,” he said.

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