The Mariners introduced that outfielder Julio Rodriguez has been reinstated from the 10-day injured checklist. ESPN’s Buster Olney (X link) reported earlier Sunday that Seattle supposed to activate Rodriguez in time for Sunday’s recreation with the Mets. Infielder Ryan Bliss was optioned to Triple-A within the corresponding transfer.
A collision with the outfield wall left Rodriguez with a proper excessive ankle sprain again on July 21, and he was positioned on the IL a few days later. As just lately as Saturday, reviews indicated that Rodriguez wasn’t anticipated to play Sunday, but the Mariners have been contemplating him day-to-day attributable to some enchancment in his potential to run. Naturally the Mariners aren’t going to take any untoward dangers with Rodriguez’s well being, however with Seattle in a pitched battle with the Astros for the AL West lead, each Rodriguez and the group had an apparent need to get him again in motion as quickly as safely potential.
Rodriguez would be the designated hitter in Sunday’s lineup, which may very well be the group’s most typical method to deploy Rodriguez till his ankle is feeling absolutely prepared for normal middle subject responsibility. Putting in Rodriguez at DH additionally permits Seattle to maintain Victor Robles in middle subject, as Robles has (surprisingly) been one of many Mariners’ higher hitters since he was signed in early June.
The timing couldn’t have been a lot worse for Rodriguez to hit the IL, as he was sidelined simply as his bat was waking up from a season-long hunch. Rodriguez struggled to a .244/.294/.324 slash line and 7 residence runs over his first 364 plate appearances, however he had cracked 4 homers and posted a 1.219 OPS within the 49 journeys to the plate previous to his damage. That sizzling streak lifted his season-long wRC+ again as much as an evenly league-average 100. Rodriguez has additionally continued to ship robust protection in middle subject, however Robles additionally stuffed in properly by way of glovework.
