Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Mariners rookie Julio Rodriguez to undergo MRI for 'concerning' back issue

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated 9/22/22

Seattle Mariners rookie phenom Julio Rodriguez left Thursday's game against the Oakland Athletics with what the team described as "low back tightness."

After the game, manager Scott Servais raised alarms about the possible severity of Rodriguez's injury. Servais called the issue "concerning," adding that Rodriguez would undergo an MRI tomorrow in Kansas City.

Julio Rodríguez will undergo an MRI tomorrow in Kansas City, per Scott Servais, who called the issue "concerning."

Rodríguez didn't receive imaging when first experiencing lower back tightness over the weekend in Anaheim.
— Daniel Kramer (@DKramer_) September 22, 2022

Rodriguez, frustrated, threw his glove in disgust after leaving the game. The 21-year-old is having a historic rookie season for the Mariners, earning his first All-Star nod just months after his major league debut.

Through 129 games, Rodriguez has 27 home runs and 73 RBI while slashing .280/.342/.502.

In August, Rodriguez became the fastest American League player to reach 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in a season. A few weeks later, Rodriguez joined the 25-25 club, only the third rookie in MLB history to do so.

The timing of Rodriguez's injury isn't ideal for the Mariners, who are still battling for playoff positioning.

The Mariners sit tied with the Tampa Bay Rays for the second wildcard spot in the American League. The Baltimore Orioles (77-71) sit 4.5 games back, while the Chicago White Sox are 6.0 games off the pace.

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