Mariners All-Star OF Julio Rodriguez exits game with wrist injury after being hit by pitch
Seattle Mariners rookie sensation Julio Rodriguez was hit by a pitch Saturday night against the Houston Astros, exiting the game in the ninth inning with a wrist injury.
In the top of the eighth inning, facing Astros reliever Rafael Montero, Rodriguez swung at an inside sinker, which hit him in the left wrist.
Rodriguez played the field in the bottom half of the inning but didn't take his at-bat in the ninth.
After the game, Rodriguez went for X-rays and said he'd speak with the media on Sunday.
The 21-year-old has had quite the rookie campaign. Rodriguez earned his first of perhaps many All-Star nods this month and finished runner-up to Washington Nationals star outfielder Juan Soto in the Home Run Derby.
Rodriguez is batting .271/.334/.482 with 18 home runs and 57 RBI in 96 games for the Mariners.
The Mariners are in the thick of the American League playoff race, so losing Rodriguez for any length of time could be a huge blow.
They are currently 11.0 games back of the Astros for first place in the AL West with a 55-47 record. However, they hold a half-game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays (54-47) for the second Wild Card spot in the AL and trail the Toronto Blue Jays by just two games for the top spot.
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