Mariners Call Up Miles Mastrobuoni as Julio Rodríguez Lands on IL

The Mariners have to be cautious with Julio Rodríguez, even if the timing could not be worse.

Jun 24, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodríguez (44) winks as he enters the dugout to play the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Seattle officially placed Julio Rodríguez on the 7-day concussion IL after he was struck in the back of the helmet while running to second base on July 2 in the series finale vs. the Los Angeles Angels. The move came with Miles Mastrobuoni being selected from Triple-A Tacoma. Cooper Criswell was also transferred to the 60-day IL to clear a space on the 40-man roster. 

So, this is truly a depth move. Mastrobuoni can cover the infield and the outfield when needed. And the M’s will hope that Rodríguez can clear in the minimum time needed and rejoin the lineup. 

There’s never a good time to lose a star like Julio. But this one feels especially frustrating. Julio entered the IL with an eight-game on-base streak and had been swinging well. He’s known as a second half player, and the bat usually begins to heat up this time of year, so even a brief stint could slow the momentum. 

Mariners Have to Be Careful With Julio Rodríguez’s Concussion Recovery

Concussion timelines are strange, especially in baseball. We don’t have to look far for a reminder. Padres infielder Jake Cronenworth returned from the concussion IL on June 29 after an eight-week absence, and his issue stemmed from a pitch that hit him in the jaw back on April 18. He didn’t land on the IL until May 5, after a couple of weeks of poor play and powering through it. It’s proof that they don’t always follow a clean timeline. 

There’s also a pretty big difference between the two incidents. Obviously, Cronenworth was hit by a 97 mph pitch that first grazed his shoulder before it hit his jaw. Rodriguez was hit in the back of the helmet by a 78 mph throw to second from Nolan Schanuel.

The only smart approach here is caution. As badly as the Mariners want him back, they can't rush a head injury. 

Victor Robles will be getting reps in center field while Julio is out. And right field will likely be filled by some combination of Luke Raley, Weston Wilson, Dominic Canzone, and maybe some Mastrobuoni sightings if needed. 

Ideally, if Canzone were healthy enough, this would be a great opportunity to see him as an everyday player. But he’s battling his own hamstring issues and has been primarily a DH since. 

The Mariners are going to need the rest of the lineup to absorb Julio’s injury without turning this upcoming series into a 2-1 knife fight. And they’ll need the stars who are healthy to help carry some extra weight.