Julio Rodríguez shakes off HBP to hand, gets to 100 RBIs in style

Seattle Mariners phenom Julio Rodríguez sat on 99 RBIs for a while. Perhaps he was waiting to do so in style – which is exactly what he did, sore hand or not.

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Rodríguez crushed a 389-foot solo home run to right-center to lead off the fifth inning in Oakland on Wednesday, giving him 100 RBIs for the season. Making the accomplishment all the more impressive is that Rodríguez was at risk of being taken out of the game after his previous plate appearance, which ended when he took a 93 mph fastball by A’s rookie Joey Estes off his left hand and pinky.

Though Rodríguez finished the game, he still underwent precautionary X-rays afterwards, per Mariners insider Shannon Drayer of Seattle Sports.

Julio heading over to the A’s side now for some precautionary x-rays on the pinky

— Shannon Drayer (@shannondrayer) September 20, 2023

Though it took five games for Rodríguez to go from 99 RBIs to 100, it wasn’t for lack of trying. Seattle’s usual No. 2 hitter in the lineup still had four hits over that stretch.

In just his second MLB season, Rodríguez has reached the century-mark in RBIs for the first time in his career. He leads the team in the statistic, and he’s the first Mariners player to reach the milestone since Kyle Seager and Mitch Haniger both did in 2021.

Rodríguez’s home run was his 31st of the season, which also leads the M’s.

Julio. He's good. pic.twitter.com/ID5CQ6oWJO

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) September 20, 2023

His homer lead may not be safe, however. In the very next at-bat, catcher Cal Raleigh unloaded on an Estes pitch for a 399-foot blast, his 29th of the season. Raleigh’s homer was the 200th of the season for the team, as well, which ranks 11th in MLB.

With 10 games remaining in the regular season, Raleigh has a chance to become the first Seattle Mariners catcher with 30 homers in a single year. He’s already broken his own team record for home runs by a catcher, which he initially set with 27 last year.

Dominic Canzone also hit a home run earlier in the game for Seattle.

In addition to joining the 100 RBI club, Rodríguez has already joined the 30/30 club this year with at least 30 homers and 30 stolen bases.

The Mariners public relations account on social media shared just how rare those two feats are for a player as young as the 22-year-old Rodríguez.

.@JRODshow44 is the 3rd player age 22-or-younger in @MLB history with 30+ home runs, 100+ RBI & 30+ stolen bases in a season, joining Alex Rodriguez-SEA (1998) & Ronald Acuña Jr.-ATL (2019).

— Mariners PR (@MarinersPR) September 20, 2023

More on the Seattle Mariners

• Drayer: Mariners find payoff in not trying to do too much
• Salk: Who do Mariners need to step up during intense final stretch?
• Mariners’ J.P. Crawford homers, celebrates by petting dog
• Drayer’s Mariners Notebook: Talks play role in needed win
• Which big bats could Seattle Mariners get this winter? Morosi says watch for trades

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