Mariners Can’t Catch a Break After Julio Rodríguez Becomes Latest Injury Concern

The Mariners can survive short-term injuries, but the pileup is starting to become a problem.

Jun 2, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez (44) runs the bases after hitting a home run against the New York Mets during the sixth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Of course right as the Mariners get good news, there’s a windfall of strange injury news to follow. Cal Raleigh and J.P. Crawford returned from the injured list. That should be enough to think good times are ahead. And then we’re reminded that nothing is linear in sports.

Instead, fans have been greeted with a gauntlet of injury scares to their position players. First Randy Arozarena, then Josh Naylor, and now Julio Rodríguez, who left Wednesday’s loss to the Orioles with a hamstring spasm.

At this point, the Mariners’ position-player injury situation is not even normal baseball anymore. Oh, not to mention Luke Raley is banged up as well. And yes, we’re still waiting on Brendan Donovan to return.

Day to day is supposed to be a comforting phrase because it sounds better than weeks. It definitely sounds better than an IL stint. But who even knows what day to day means anymore when teams can retroactively put guys on the IL anyway?

So with this team, even that designation feels a little dangerous. 

Julio Rodriguez was talking to the trainer in the dugout after exiting tonight's game pic.twitter.com/nclJ7oJEgo

— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 18, 2026

Julio Rodríguez Injury Adds to Mariners’ Growing Lineup Nightmare

The good news is that this (like the others) doesn’t sound like a disaster…yet. Rodríguez exited because of a hamstring spasm after making a running catch in the gap, and manager Dan Wilson made it clear the Mariners were trying to be smart with him.

But we can’t ignore that this answer sounds just like every other one. We don’t need to get into Julio’s importance to this team. That’s common knowledge. What’s more concerning is that the Mariners are edging close to survival mode. When you’re reaching for a .190 hitter from High-A because you don’t have enough healthy depth on the roster, that’s nothing to sneeze at.

The Mariners aren’t dealing with one injury in isolation. At this point, every starting position player has been banged up at some point this season except Cole Young. Knock on wood.

So, now the Mariners are really being tested. Connor Joe is back, Miles Mastrobuoni had to fill in at first base in an emergency. But now we’re creeping toward an outfield made up of Victor Robles, Rob Refsnyder, and Dominic Canzone. No offense to any of them, but that’s an outfield you roll out after you clinch the division. You wouldn’t even see that combination on scheduled rest days. 

Regardless, it’s June. If these guys need a couple of days to rest, you give it to them. The Mariners are hovering near the top of the AL West, and there will be huge games down the stretch. The last thing this team needs is outfielders struggling to shag fly balls or carefully rounding the bases when there are runs to score.

The Mariners offense is 13th in the MLB with a 8.9 WAR and 9th with a 105 wRC+. To be fair, that’s not bad for an offense that’s rarely been whole this season. In a perfect world, all they need is their health, and maybe they’ll be fine. 

But the more troubling part is how often the dominoes are falling here.