Julio Rodríguez joyfully embraced the Mariners’ tradition of holding a trident after hitting a home run. It was a happy moment for him, marking the first time this season he got to do so.
“I really enjoyed it. It had been a while since I last saw my good friend,” Rodríguez said after hitting a 434-foot homer in the Mariners’ 4-0 victory in Texas on Tuesday night.
Rodríguez, who had 60 homers in his first two seasons in the big leagues and put on a record-breaking performance in last summer’s Home Run Derby, hit a ball that landed about five rows deep in the second deck of left-field seats. His two-run homer in the third inning concluded the game’s scoring.
His first significant home run this season came in his 89th at-bat while playing all 23 games for the Mariners (12-11), who moved into first place in the AL West ahead of the World Series champion Rangers.
“I believed he was going to hit a home run this year. So yeah, it had been a while obviously, but he hit that ball hard. He was right on it,” manager Scott Servais said.
“Things are starting to come together for him. And he’ll hit another home run, too.” When told what his manager said, Rodríguez chuckled and with a smile responded, “I might.”
Rodríguez now has a seven-game hitting streak, going 14 for 31 with five multi-hit games in that stretch, improving his batting average from .186 to .278. The 2022 AL Rookie of the Year has 10 RBIs this season.
“A few minor adjustments here and there, and kind of moving in the right direction,” Rodriguez said. “I feel more like myself today.”
The 23-year-old slugger shone in the Home Run Derby in the past two years — this season’s All-Star Game is in Texas if he decides to compete in the long-ball contest again. In Seattle last summer, Rodríguez hit a single-round record 41 homers to advance with a win over Pete Alonso before losing to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the semifinals.
Cal Raleigh gave the Mariners the lead in the series opener in Texas with his two-run homer in the first inning off Dane Dunning. It was the catcher’s team-leading sixth homer of the season.
“I’m trying to catch up,” Rodríguez said. “He’s getting too far ahead of me right now. So I have some work to do.”
