Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodríguez ended a five-week drought on Wednesday when he hit his first home run since July 20. Rodríguez hit a massive two-run home run in the fifth inning to help the Mariners to a 6-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Rodríguez’s home run brought him and shortstop JP Crawford home and gave Seattle a lead in the victory over the Rays. Crawford returned to the lineup on Wednesday after spending a month on the injured list with a fractured right hand.
Rodríguez, the 2022 AL Rookie of the Year, has struggled offensively this season. After recording 32 home runs and 103 RBIs last year, he has just 12 home runs and 42 RBIs so far this season. He also has a .253 batting average, a career low, and he has 18 stolen bases, which falls short of his totals from the past two seasons.
Overall, the Mariners’ offense leaves a lot to be desired in 2024. The team leads the league in strikeouts and holds the league low in hits. Seattle has relied on its strong starting lineup for most of the year to stay in the playoffs, but the subpar offensive output has taken its toll several times this season.
The Mariners are still trying to recover from a disastrous 1-8 road trip that ended with the decision to fire longtime manager Scott Servais. Seattle hired former catcher Dan Wilson as a replacement and brought in Hall of Famer Edgar Martinez as hitting coach to keep the team alive.
Seattle once held a 10-game lead in the AL West, but has since fallen behind the Houston Astros in the division. The Astros also won on Wednesday, holding off the Mariners by 3.5 games.
Next up for Seattle is a visit to the last-place Los Angeles Angels, while the Astros are at home against the Kansas City Royals, 75-59.