It was a huge home stand for the Seattle Mariners. They took three-of-four at home vs. the AL West rival Texas Rangers over the weekend, including a 5-4 win on Sunday. Their latest victory has the Mariners sitting at 60-53 on the season and in second place in the AL West standings. They are now two games ahead of third-place Texas and are only 2.5 games off the pace of the Houston Astros.
The hero in Sunday's big win over the Rangers was none other than their All-Star centerfielder, Julio Rodriguez. His home run off Jacob deGrom in the third inning was not only his 20th of the season, but the 100th of his MLB career. Only Alex Rodriguez and teammate Cal Raleigh needed fewer than the 542 Julio Rodriguez needed to achieve that benchmark in a Mariners uniform. The guy is ascending!
Most importantly, Rodriguez made history with his 20th round tripper of the season. Rodriguez became the first player in MLB history to start his big-league career off with four consecutive 20/20 seasons. He notched his 20th stolen base of the season not long before going yard on deGrom in a huge win for the Mariners. Right now, Seattle has the necessary identity to make a deep playoff run.
For years it had been pitching, but right now, it is all about those big bats all throughout their lineup.
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Julio Rodriguez's historic start to MLB career is what Mariners prayed for
I grew up in the late 1990s and early 2000s. That was the peak of Mariners baseball. They were everyone's favorite team outside of their own team. Whether it be Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez, Randy Johnson, Edgar Martinez, Jay Buhner or whoever, that era of M's baseball cut through in a way like the franchise never had before ... or since. I have a feeling we are about to see the second crest...
It is the combination of homegrown talents like Rodriguez and Raleigh, as well as a big-time trade deadline acquisition in right-handed power hitter Eugenio Suarez that has the Mariners poised to make noise in the AL postseason come October. I would be stunned if this group does not hold it together long enough to make the playoffs. I appreciate their all-in nature to make this dream a reality.
Overall, the Mariners will continue to have a bright future so long as star players like Raleigh and Rodriguez continue to blossom. The best part in all this is their skipper Dan Wilson was there the last time the Mariners were doing something like this. He was the backstop during the Lou Piniella glory days in Seattle. You can call it a renaissance or what have you. I am going to call it just good baseball.
The ascension of Seattle's two star players of note are why the Mariners will not go away quietly.