Mariners: Julio Rodriguez absence comes at a tough time

While the loss of Julio Rodriguez isn’t serious, it coincides with the Mariners’ first three-game losing streak in nearly two months.

Prior to this Los Angeles Angels series, it was generally agreed the Mariners were in a favorable position. All 20 of their final 2022 regular season games were coming against teams guaranteed to finish with records under .500.

So of course the Mariners have proceeded to lose their series to the Angels with one game to spare. The three-game losing streak is their first since July 22-24, when they were swept by the Houston Astros.

This team has been unpredictable all year, so why would it be any different now? A first postseason place since 2001 is within their grasp, but they’re not going to make it easy for themselves or their long-suffering fans.

As of Monday morning they are in the third AL wild card spot. However, their advantage has now shrunk to four games over their nearest challenger, the Baltimore Orioles.

There are just 17 games remaining, but M’s fans know better than to take anything for granted. At least they are somewhat helped by the Blue Jays playing the Rays and Orioles four and three more times respectively.

A significant absence

In fairness to the Mariners, the current losing streak hasn’t been helped by the absence of Julio Rodriguez. Regardless of his age and being a rookie, he provides a major spark for the team.

Rodriguez did not play on Saturday or Sunday against the Angels, and his status for Monday is unclear at the time of writing. He will likely participate in light activity ahead of the series finale in Los Angeles.

The 2022 All-Star felt some pain in his lower back during batting practice on Saturday. The Mariners decided to take no chances and held him out of the lineup.

Speaking to members of the media including mlb.com, Rodriguez didn’t seem concerned about the injury. He said:

“I’m definitely going to be okay. I just feel like a few days’ rest is going to be the best thing for it, especially right now. It’s better to be cautious with it.”

This isn’t the first time Rodriguez has dealt with issues in 2022. Following his spectacular display in the Home Run Derby, he missed 11 games for Seattle with a right wrist contusion.

Increased workload

One contributing factor could be the 21-year-old adjusting to an increased workload. The 126 games in 2022 easily surpass his previous high of 84 appearances in a pro season.

Rodriguez acknowledged this was likely a factor. He said:

“It’s September, man. I would say that’s my best answer for that … I’ve never played over such a long time, so I’ve been managing all that. I feel like I’m going to be back after a few days of rest, should be good to go.”

Certainly it makes sense for the Mariners to be so cautious with Rodriguez. Their financial commitment aside, he has the potential to be a long-term superstar in Seattle.

The Dominican Republic native is the fastest player in Major League history to reach 25 homer runs and 25 steals. He achieved this in 125 games, to surpass Mike Trout’s record of 128 games.

Rodriguez leads Seattle in batting average, hits, runs. OBP, slugging percentage and OPS. He has won two Rookie of the Month awards and is favorite to win the yearly equivalent.

Do you have any serious concern about Rodriguez’s absence? How about the Mariners’ three-game losing streak? Let us know in the comments section below.