Mariners place Luke Raley 10-day IL, call up rookie OF

The injury bug has bitten the Seattle Mariners again.

The Mariners on Wednesday placed outfielder/first baseman Luke Raley on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to Monday) with a right oblique strain, and selected the contract of outfielder Rhylan Thomas from Triple-A Tacoma in a corresponding move. Rookie reliever Sauryn Lao was designated for assignment to make room for Thomas on the 40-man roster.

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Raley has a Grade 1 strain and will need at least six weeks before he can begin a rehab assignment, Mariners general manager Justin Hollander told reporters before Wednesday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels.

The 30-year-old Raley was hurt on a swing during batting practice Tuesday night before the series opener against the Angels. He was originally slated to bat fifth in the opener, but was a late scratch after the injury.

Raley, 30, is hitting .206 with a .669 OPS, two doubles, two home runs, eight RBIs and two stolen bases in 24 games. He was a key contributor in 2024 after joining the team in an offseason trade with the Tampa Bay Rays, slashing .243/.320/.463 for a .783 OPS with 22 home runs in 137 games.

His injury is the latest among a slew experienced by the Mariners early this season. Raley joins starting pitchers Logan Gilbert and George Kirby, relievers Matt Brash and Gregory Santos, outfielder Victor Robles, second baseman Ryan Bliss and utilityman Dylan Moore on the shelf. Gilbert and Moore each went on the IL within the last week.

Thomas, 25, is getting called up to the big leagues for the first time. An 11th-round pick by the New York Mets in 2022, the left-handed-hitting Thomas is hitting .319 with a .725 OPS, one double, one home run, six RBIs and six stolen bases in 26 games with Tacoma this season. He’s a career .300 hitter in 254 minor league games.

Thomas was acquired last July from the Mets in a deal that sent right-handed reliever Ryne Stanek to New York.

Lao, 25, made his major league debut with the Mariners on April 22. He struck out three and allowed one unearned run and three hits in 1 2/3 innings. Lao was optioned back to Triple-A Tacoma the following day.

The Mariners finish a two-game series with the Angels at 1:10 p.m. on Tuesday. Radio coverage can be heard on Seattle Sports 710 AM or the Seattle Sports app, starting with the pregame show at noon.

More on the Seattle Mariners

• Injury to Seattle Mariners’ Gilbert has a reason for concern
• Top Mariners prospect goes yard in return from injury
• Mariners Roster Moves: Dylan Moore to IL, utility man called up
• Debuting a rookie is hard, but M’s got their latest right in one big way
• 13 stats that stand out from Seattle Mariners’ hot start

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