Mariners Injury Update: Luke Raley begins rehab assignment, latest on Victor Robles and Ryan Bliss

The Seattle Mariners have had their fair share of injuries this season. While the team hasn't had as many issues with pitchers as some of their less fortunate peers, it doesn't mean the squad hasn't missed the presence of some of the more meaningful players on the roster.

Perhaps the most impactful loss has been Luke Raley, who hit the injured list in late April due to a right oblique strain. He was one of the most valuable Mariners last year and had spent much of this season filling in where needed, spending his time at right field and first base. He finally began his rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma. While he went 0-for-4 on Thursday, it's at least a somewhat positive sign that he'll return to the big league club soon.

Without him, the Mariners have struggled to get the desired production out of right field and first base, the latter of which is a position the team should look to upgrade at this year's deadline if they can't get Raley back soon.

Mariners Injury Update: Victor Robles not expected to return until September

When Victor Robles initially dislocated his shoulder making an outstanding catch in April, the optimistic outlook was that he would be back in July, but the latest updates from Jerry Dipoto have pushed that return timeline back by a few months. Per a report from Tim Booth of The Seattle Times on Thursday, Robles recently took his arm out of a sling and working on range of motion exercises, but there's only so much one can do to repair a dislocated shoulder and fractured joint.

Seattle tried replacing him with Leody Taveras, an experiment that fell short of expectations to say the least, and have now turned to Dominic Canzone to hold down the fort. The bigger concern for Robles is whether the Mariners will still be in a playoff position by the time he does get back given their recent slump in performance.

Mariners Injury Update: No definitive timeline for Ryan Bliss to return but signs are encouraging

Ryan Bliss has also been on the 60-day IL since he required biceps surgery and, like Robles, has also been making steady progress on the road to recovery. Booth's report notes that he recently took the field in spikes for the first time since his injury and was able to take his arm out of a brace two weeks ago. Given how many variables there are to consider, the Mariners haven't set even a rough timetable for him to come back, but there's a possibility he could be healthy before the end of the season.

Even if Bliss does make a full recovery, his spot is currently occupied by top prospect Cole Young. After a storybook walk-off in his MLB debut, Young hasn't quite found his footing at the big league level but that could change after a few months. If Seattle is still in the race, Bliss is healthy, and second base is in need of a change, only then could we see him back in the lineup. Quite a few things need to fall in place for that to happen, but the organization will undoubtedly be keeping a close eye on the situation as the season progresses.