Mariners place first baseman on IL, promote Tyler Locklear

The Mariners placed first baseman/outfielder Luke Raley on the 10-day injured list due to back spasms and recalled first baseman Tyler Locklear from Triple-A Tacoma, per a team announcement. (Adam Jude of the Seattle Times first reported the moves.) The team did not indicate how long Raley is expected to be sidelined, but his placement on the IL is retroactive to July 27, meaning he can return in a week’s time.

Locklear, 24, was making a case for a call to the majors even before Raley’s injury was known. The former second-round pick is among the hottest hitting prospects in baseball, slashing .316/.401/.542 on the season. That includes a solid but unexciting start to his 2025 season; dating back to Memorial Day weekend, Locklear has posted an outrageous .356/.441/.681 slash in 50 games (227 plate appearances).

Locklear received a brief look in the majors last season, but he didn’t hit much in a tiny sample of 49 plate appearances. He’s spent the entire 2025 season in Triple-A. Last week’s acquisition of Josh Naylor means Locklear won’t be stepping in to take everyday at-bats at first base, but he can mix in at designated hitter and give the M’s a big bat off the bench.

This year’s surge at the plate has put Locklear back on the map as a potential long-term option at first, but it’s surely also sparked some trade interest in the young slugger. The Mariners have been looking for help at third base and in the bullpen, and Locklear is one of many appealing prospects in a deep Mariners farm system that could help president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto and general manager Justin Hollander achieve those goals.

As for Raley, it’s the second IL stint of his season. He missed about five weeks earlier due to an oblique strain. He’s having a down year at the plate, particularly in terms of power output, hitting .220/.343/.348 in 170 trips to the plate. That batting line is at least partially skewed by a recent and notable slump that’s seen Raley hit just .190/.320/.286 with 19 strikeouts in his past 50 trips to the plate. It’s certainly possible that Raley’s back issue has been plaguing him for some time and contributed to that skid.