Julio returns to Mariners’ lineup, but another regular is out

Two days after an injury scare for Seattle Mariners All-Star Julio Rodríguez, he’s back in the lineup.

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Rodríguez will return to center field and the No. 3 spot in the batting order in Friday’s 7:10 p.m. series opener for the AL West-leading Mariners (39-37) against the Boston Red Sox (29-43). It comes two days after he exited a loss to the Baltimore Orioles early due to experiencing a spasm in his hamstring.

The Mariners kept Rodríguez on the bench as a precaution for their win over the O’s in a day game Thursday following the night game Wednesday.

While Rodríguez is back, the Mariners appear to be giving J.P. Crawford a break four days after he was activated from the injured list. The lefty-swinging Crawford, who moved to third base from his usual shortstop position in his return from a right hand contusion, is sitting with the Red Sox starting southpaw Ranger Suarez on the mound. Boston is set to start left-handed pitchers each day in the three-game series.

Veteran utility man Weston Wilson, who the Mariners selected Friday from Triple-A Tacoma just five days after signing him, is playing third base and hitting ninth for Seattle.

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Rob Refsnyder, a platoon bat who mainly faces left-handed pitching, is the designated hitter and leading off for the Mariners in his first game against the Red Sox since leaving Boston in free agency for Seattle.

Here’s the full Mariners lineup for Friday:

Our Juneteenth starting lineup ⬇️

📺 @KING5Seattle, https://t.co/o2PoeYA9BK
📻 @SeattleSports pic.twitter.com/IarcxIUdso

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) June 19, 2026

The Mariners will be wearing their usual Sunday uniforms that honor the Seattle Steelheads, a West Coast Negro Baseball League team from the 1940s, for Juneteenth. The uniforms were worn in previous seasons only once a year as a Juneteenth tradition.

On the mound, the Mariners will start Bryce Miller, with Luis Castillo set to follow as Seattle returns to a piggyback format with its six starting pitchers. Whereas Miller and Castillo have teamed up in three previous piggyback games, all six M’s pitchers will now take a turn in a piggyback game until the All-Star break.

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Here’s how the Red Sox lineup looks against the M’s on Friday:

Out West. pic.twitter.com/DcJB5FuHCs

— Red Sox (@RedSox) June 19, 2026

Mariners Radio Network coverage on Seattle Sports of Friday’s game starts at 6 with the pregame show.

Seattle Mariners news and more

• Royals acquire RHP Randy Dobnak from Mariners
• M’s GM details the plan for Kade Anderson, Ryan Sloan
• Ryon Healy wants to rename Seattle Mariners piggyback

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