Mariners recall slugging prospect Locklear; Raley (back spasms) to IL

WEST SACRAMENTO -- The Mariners added another corner infielder to their 26-man roster on the eve of Thursday’s 3 p.m. PT Trade Deadline, but the new addition is not part of an external acquisition. Rather, it's a familiar face who’s been raking in the Minors.

First baseman Tyler Locklear -- Seattle’s No. 9 prospect by MLB Pipeline -- was recalled from Triple-A Tacoma ahead of Wednesday’s series finale against the A’s at Sutter Health Park. Luke Raley was placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Sunday, with back spasms.

Locklear was pulled in the fifth inning of Triple-A Tacoma’s game vs. Sugar Land on Tuesday, which sparked speculation that he’d been traded -- especially given the heater that he’s been on might have increased his value and that the Mariners are expected to remain active before the Deadline.

It’s unclear what Locklear’s immediate role will be, given that the Mariners recently acquired Josh Naylor from the D-backs and intend to play him there every day. That’d likely leave Locklear as a part-time designated hitter and bench player.

Locklear is the reigning Pacific Coast League Player of the Week, after a stretch that included a 9-for-9 run with four homers and nine RBIs, and overall, finishing the week leading all PCL hitters with a 1.745 OPS. Over a broader sample, he leads all Triple-A batters in homers (16) and RBIs (56) while ranking second in OPS (1.140, min. 100 PAs) since June 1.

For the season, all of which he’s spent at Tacoma, Locklear is hitting .316/.401/.542 (.943 OPS) with 19 homers and 82 RBIs.

Before Raley landed on the IL, the clearest roster subtraction possibilities were struggling veterans Dylan Moore (2-for-58 since May 28), Donovan Solano (4-for-25 in July) or Raley, who after the addition of Naylor no longer has a clear role. Raley had been in a timeshare at first base and in right field, but the Mariners have started Dominic Canzone in right in 19 of their 24 games in July and now have Naylor at first.

"We want to get him in there as much as we can,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said of Raley, who missed nearly two months earlier this season with a strained right oblique. “I think part of that is this is the time of year where you need everybody, and different situations call for different things and making sure everybody's in a position to do that is important.”

Locklear will be back in the big leagues for the first time in exactly one year, having played 16 games with the Mariners last season before being optioned back to Tacoma for good on July 30. In that stretch, he hit .156/.224/.311 (.535 OPS) with two homers and one double in 49 plate appearances.