Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez runs after hitting a home run against the New York Yankees on May 12 at T-Mobile Park. Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Seattle Mariners Superstar Julio Rodriguez Been Heating Up Since May Began

Originally posted on Seattle Mariners on SI
By Teren Kowatsch | Last updated May 16, 2025 5:15 PM ET

Since making his debut in 2022, two narratives have followed Seattle Mariners superstar Julio Rodriguez. The first is slow starts that have plagued him. The second is the mindset that the Mariners go as far as Rodriguez goes.

Both labels have been bucked in the first two months of the season. Seattle had a nine-series win streak for the first time since 2001. Players like Jorge Polanco and Cal Raleigh were at the forefront of that run.

Rodriguez is also starting to heat up earlier than he has in his four-year career. Since April 29, Rodriguez has scored nine runs and has it two doubles, three home runs and seven RBIs. He's slashed .293/.328/.483 with an .811 OPS and has hit safely in 11-of-14 games.

JULIOOO #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/gFToO1w2S0
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) May 13, 2025

Rodriguez's defense in center field has also been solid. Rodriguez has five outs above average this season, according to Baseball Savant. That stat ranks in the 97th percentile in the league and is tied with Houston Astros outfielder Jake Myers for the second-most among American League outfielders.

For the season, Rodriguez has scored 29 runs and has hit five doubles, two triples, seven home runs and 20 RBIs. He's slashed .229/.314/.406 with a .720 OPS. He has a 111 wRC+ (weighted runs created-plus), which is 11 points above league average. He has a 1.4 fWAR (FanGraphs WAR), which ranks second on the team among position players. Cal Raleigh has a 2.4 fWAR this season.

The Mariners offense has slowed down since their nine-series wins streak was snapped during their most recent homestead, but Rodriguez's early hot streak could lead to a longer in-season peak for the two-time All-Star.

This article first appeared on Seattle Mariners on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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