SEATTLE — With one big swing, Julio Rodríguez put all the panic over his sore left wrist to bed in an emphatic return to the lineup on Tuesday night, swatting a 374-foot home run in his first at-bat after missing the Mariners’ first four games of the second half.
That moment out of the leadoff spot in the first inning helped send Seattle on its way to a 5-4 win over Texas at T-Mobile Park. Carlos Santana hit a walk-off sacrifice fly, scoring Cal Raleigh in the bottom of the ninth. Rodríguez was intentionally walked just before Santana broke through in yet another clutch moment.
But back to Rodríguez, who’s reiterated throughout this breakout season that he sets no limits for himself. Even he couldn’t believe his first-inning heroics, racing around the bases with a massive grin while shrugging his shoulders. The Mariners’ dugout, amped up, also mirrored the gesture in an organic moment of reaction.
The AL Rookie of the Year Award favorite hadn’t played in a week – since the All-Star Game. One day earlier, he put on an electric performance in the T-Mobile Home Run Derby, when he swatted 81, finished runner-up to Juan Soto and inspired awe in a coming-out-party on a national stage. But he also aggravated the wrist injury that he suffered sliding headfirst on a stolen-base attempt during the final game of the regular season.
Rodríguez’s health had been the talk of the town after he missed the entire weekend sweep to the Astros, when the club clearly needed him, then Monday’s win over Texas — and his dramatic return underscored why.