Julio Rodríguez is on a tear, and his power surge couldn't come at a better time for the Seattle Mariners. The star center fielder has been a key driver in the team's recent success, helping them climb within striking distance of the AL West lead.
In a recent game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Rodríguez delivered a powerful performance, hitting two home runs in the Mariners' 7-4 victory. This marked his sixth career multi-homer game and brought his season total to 23. One of his blasts was a 436-foot, two-run shot in the first inning, followed by a line-drive homer in the third, making it back-to-back homers with teammate Cal Raleigh, who leads all of MLB with 44 home runs.
This impressive outing follows a series of strong performances for Rodríguez. Just days earlier, he made MLB history by becoming the first player to record at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in each of his first four seasons. He hit his 20th homer and stole his 21st base of the season in a game against the Texas Rangers, a milestone that also included his 100th career home run.
The Mariners have been red-hot, winning six straight games and eight of their last nine, a surge that has them just a half-game behind the Houston Astros for the division lead. Rodríguez's recent offensive explosion, including seven home runs in his last 13 games, is a major reason for their success. While his overall batting average for the season has been up and down, his recent hot streak has significantly boosted his on-base plus slugging (OPS) percentage, putting him squarely in the conversation as one of the league's top center fielders.
As the Mariners chase their first division title in over two decades, the tandem of Rodríguez and Raleigh at the plate is proving to be a formidable force, reminiscent of past Mariners duos like Alex Rodriguez and Ken Griffey Jr.
