ESPN Insider Confident in Julio Rodriguez Having MVP-Caliber Season in 2025
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The Seattle Mariners offense was the biggest weakness of the team in 2024. And the face of the Mariners franchise had a down season that coincided with the offense's struggles.
In his third season in the majors, Julio Rodriguez missed three weeks of action with a right ankle sprain and was held out of the outfield for roughly a month with the same injury.
Before his injury, Rodriguez got off to a slow start by his standards. He hit .263 with 11 home runs and 37 RBIs from the beginning of the season until his injury onJuly 21. After he was activated from the IL on Aug. 11 through the end of the year, he hit .295 with nine home runs and 31 RBIs.
JULIO RODRIGUEZ GO-AHEAD HOME RUN! pic.twitter.com/Edi5pC6XUX
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) September 14, 2024
Several of Seattle's top executives have mentioned Rodriguez's slow starts and president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto has said that Rodriguez is aware of it.
How Rodriguez starts will be one of the biggest storylines to follow in 2025. And at least one MLB insider thinks that Rodriguez will not only avoid a slow start, but that he'll elevate his game in 2025.
Tim Kurkjian went on the Refuse to Lose podcast and talked about Rodriguez's struggles in 2024 and his expectations for the fourth-year superstar in 2025.
"They're gonna need a huge year from Randy Arozarena and Julio Rodriguez. And I fully expect, for sure, that's going to happen with Rodriguez," Kurkjian said. "Because the talent level is ridiculous, the body type is absurd and he had such an amazing first season. A couple seasons since, he's just had some stretches where you just don't understand it. I know I did a couple games in Baltimore last year on the radio, and I was told by a couple Mariner people that Julio is late. Late on everything. Which is really confusing for a guy that big, that young, that strong to be late on the fastball. And people were just pounding him up with the fastball. I'm sure he will make that adjustment, I'm sure he will be a great player and I wouldn't be shocked if he finished in the top five of the MVP voting as he has in the past."
A common phrase since Rodriguez has debuted has been that the Mariners go as far as he does. And if Rodriguez does put up an MVP-caliber season, then Seattle could go farther than it has the last two seasons.
You can listen to the Kurkjian's full interview on the Refuse to Lose podcast here.
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