The Seattle Mariners lost two of three games to the Houston Astros this weekend, leaving the two teams tied atop the American League West. With just days before the MLB trade deadline, the Mariners made a roster move, placing first baseman Ty France on outright waivers, according to Seattle Times beat writer Ryan Divish.

The move makes France available to the other 29 teams while his salary stays with the Mariners. It is also possible that France will end up back in Seattle. If no team claims him, they can option him to the minor leagues. But because France has accumulated more than five years of service time, he can reject that assignment. If all of those steps are followed, he will end up right back where he started. That is why the Mariners did not make a corresponding move on Sunday.

This season, France has struggled at the plate. His .224 batting average and .664 OPS are both well below his career averages. He has hit just eight home runs and driven in 31 in 87 games so far. This is the second straight down season after his first All-Star Game appearance in 2021. The 2022 season saw him drive in only 58 runs, down from 83 the previous season and hit .250, 24 points below 2021. Will teams take a chance on France despite the recent struggles or will he end up back on the Mariners?

The future of Ty France and the Mariners

Seattle Mariners first baseman Ty France (23) runs after hitting into a fielder choice against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning at Angel Stadium.
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Ty France is now available to all MLB teams for free, and the opportunity to grab a piece for nothing that could turn into a quality bat come October should not be passed up by multiple teams. The division rival Houston Astros are a solid contender to swipe France off the market.

After the Jose Abreu experiment failed earlier this season, the Astros could use a first baseman. Left-handed hitter Jon Singleton is having a comparable season to France offensively, .238 batting average and 7 homers, and is a candidate to be replaced at the trade deadline. Instead of giving up a prospect and money to acquire someone, the Astros should consider France and Singleton as a platoon moving forward. The lefty-righty splits work out where this could be a viable option.

Over in the National League, the San Francisco Giants could benefit from France's services this season. The Giants lost two picks in the 2024 draft due to compensation for their Blake Snell and Matt Chapman signings. They also find themselves in the thick of the playoff race. After their big moves this offseason, getting a piece for free to spark them to a playoff run would be a good move for the Giants.

As for the Mariners, they should be buying at the MLB trade deadline. They broke their 20-year streak of missing the playoffs in 2022 just to miss it again in 2023. There is no reason they should let this opportunity pass and sit out this trade deadline. If France is plucked by another team, Christian Walker from the Arizona Diamondbacks is a good candidate to replace him. He is having a great season, hitting 22 home runs already.