The Seattle Mariners have activated outfielder Julio Rodríguez from the 10-day injured list as of Sunday. Rodríguez had been sidelined for three weeks due to a high-ankle sprain.
Rodríguez returns to the lineup against the New York Mets and will rejoin the team before a pivotal nine-game road trip starting Tuesday. This stretch includes facing the Houston Astros, who currently lead the AL West. Rodríguez will be playing alongside new teammates Randy Arozarena and Justin Turner for the first time.
“He’s one of the top hitters in the league and was performing exceptionally well before his injury,” said Mariners manager Scott Servais.
Rodríguez sustained his injury on July 21 when he collided with the center field wall at T-Mobile Park while attempting a catch.
There was no definite return date initially, but Rodríguez had been gradually increasing his baseball activities. He participated in full pregame drills on Saturday, including fielding, hitting, and base running.
For now, Rodríguez is slated to be the designated hitter, with Victor Robles having covered center field during his absence.
Servais noted that everyone is eager for Rodríguez to return to the outfield “as soon as possible,” although there is no specific timeline for this yet.
This season, Rodríguez has a .263 batting average with 11 home runs and 37 RBIs over 100 games. Prior to his injury, he was hitting .425 with a 1.289 OPS in 13 games.
To accommodate Rodríguez’s return, infielder Ryan Bliss has been optioned to Triple-A Tacoma.
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