Mariners' Julio Rodriguez exits game with wrist injury after being hit by pitch

Jul 30, 2022; Houston, Texas, USA; Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez (44) reacts after an apparent injury during the eighth inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Mariners All-Star OF Julio Rodriguez exits game with wrist injury after being hit by pitch

By Mike Santa Barbara | Last updated Jul 30, 2022 11:36 PM ET

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.

#Mariners rookie sensation Julio Rodriguez just took a 97 MPH sinker to the wrist… pic.twitter.com/2v17ELMsos
— Jay Tust (@KTVBSportsGuy) July 31, 2022

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.

Julio said he speak to the media on Sunday. He went immediately into the training room after the X-rays to get treatment. We likely won’t know the results of them tonight.
— Ryan Divish (@RyanDivish) July 31, 2022

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.

Mike Santa Barbara

Mike Santa Barbara is a Wilmington, Delaware native (Yes, it's a real place) with over a decade of sports writing experience. A diehard Philadelphia sports fan, he has two dogs named after Flyers and cried real tears when the Eagles won Super Bowl LII. You can follow him on Twitter at @mike__sb

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