Smoak recalled, Saunders to DL for Mariners
Jul 11, 2014, 2:43 PM | Updated: Jul 13, 2014, 10:16 pm

The Mariners recalled first baseman Justin Smoak from Triple-A Tacoma. (AP, Ted Warren)
(AP, Ted Warren)
The Mariners put outfielder Michael Saunders on the 15-day disabled list with a strained oblique Friday and recalled first baseman Justin Smoak from Triple-A Tacoma.
Saunders, who left Thursday’s loss to the Twins in the eight inning after injuring himself on a check swing, has hit .306 with an .819 OPS since returning to the Mariners from a shoulder injury on June 27.
Smoak is in the lineup for Friday’s game hitting sixth and playing first base. He last played for the Mariners on June 9 before hitting the DL with a strained left quad, but remained with Tacoma after being activated from a rehab assignment on July 4.
In 63 games with Seattle this season, Smoak is hitting .208 with a .643 OPS, seven home runs and 29 RBIs. With the Rainiers, Smoak has a .284 average, .824 OPS, three homers and 11 RBIs in 19 games.