The Mariners Saturday selected INF Gordon Beckham from AAA Tacoma and designated INF Shawn O’Malley for assignment. The 30-year-old Beckham was available Saturday night when Seattle plays the middle game of a three-game set against the Oakland Athletics at Safeco Field.
Beckham hit .262 with nine home runs and 45 RBIs in 83 games with Tacoma. Since the All-Star Break, the 6-foot, 190-pounder has hit .283 with five homers and 30 RBIs. He hit safely in 33 of 45 games since the break, including 12 multi-hit contests.
Beckham appeared at second base (63 games, 62 starts), third (seven) and short (three). Beckham was signed by Seattle to a minor league contract March 31.
In parts of eight MLB seasons with Chicago-AL (2009-14, 2015), Los Angeles-AL (2014), Atlanta (2016) and San Francisco (2016), Beckham is a career .240 hitter.
O’Malley, 29, was recalled from his rehabilitation assignment and optioned to Tacoma Aug. 4. In 20 games with the Rainiers, he hit .205.
O’Malley was placed on the DL March 31 while recovering from surgery to remove his appendix, then transferred to the 60-day DL with right shoulder tendinitis May 2.
O’Malley hit .229 in 89 games with the Mariners last season. The Richland, WA., native was selected by Tampa Bay in the fifth round of the 2006 draft out of Southridge High School in Kennewick. The Mariners have seven days to trade, release or outright O’Malley’s contract.
RHP Yovani Gallardo (5-10, 5.78) pitches opposite RHP Jharel Cotton (7-10, 5.40) tonight at 6:10.
