Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez has had a blistering start to his career.
He has won a myriad of recognitions ever since he made his MLB debut in 2022: he was an All-MLB Second-Team member that year, a Silver Slugger, an All-Star, and the American League Rookie of the Year.
In 2023, he continued his development and reached another level, with a second Silver Slugger and All-Star selection.
He made his ultimate goal very clear via a Twitter post on Sunday: he wants to win it all with his Mariners.
“I want to know what that feels like. #starving,” he tweeted, with a picture of people celebrating the Kansas City Chiefs’ triumph in the Super Bowl.
The Chiefs outlasted the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday in overtime, which could be considered the equivalent of a walk-off win in extra-innings translated in baseball terms.
Rodriguez, who helped take the Mariners to the playoffs after 21 years in 2022, couldn’t replicate the collective success last year.
Still, the Mariners are a very competitive team and made some important additions in the offseason, such as Jorge Polanco, Mitch Garver, Mitch Haniger, Luke Raley, Luis Urias, and Gregory Santos, among others.
They could all help Rodriguez achieve his goal.
The Mariners are just as dangerous as the Houston Astros and the reigning World Series champs, the Texas Rangers, in 2024, and they want to prove it.
As long as they have Rodriguez, they will have a fighting chance.
The dynamic center fielder posted a fine .275/.333/.485 line with 32 home runs, 37 stolen bases, 102 runs, 103 RBI, and a .818 OPS in 2023.
That kind of performance could propel him to the MVP race this upcoming season.
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