Julio Rodriguez has a chance to go down as the Greatest Mariner of All Time
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The Seattle Mariners came off a highly successful campaign that saw the squad win 90 games, capture an AL West championship, and come within one win away from their first World Series appearance ever. Along the way, catcher Cal Raleigh captivated all of baseball with his magical, AL MVP runner-up season, hitting a MLB-high of 60 homers and plating 125 RBI.
However, the true jewel in Emerald City roams what fans have deemed the 'No Fly Zone' due to his excellence in the field. At just 24, he's already a three-time All-Star and a two-time Silver Slugger, when most young players are just making their debut at the big-league level. Without a doubt, Julio Rodriguez, who debuted in 2002 and won that season's Rookie of the Year Award, is on a path of greatness that few Mariners can lay claim to.
The good news for Seattle fans: He's going to be around for a long time. In the Summer of 2022, he made a long-term commitment to the team, signing a 12-year extension that will take him through his age-34 season. So, in essence, he decided to become a Mariner for life --- or at least through his prime. He loves playing in the Pacific Northwest and the local culture, as he wrote about at the Players' Tribune in March 2023.
"I felt trust every step of the way to making my Mariners debut last spring in Minnesota," Rodriguez noted. "The team was so great with my family, making them feel right at home, so they could be there to see me. To see our dreams come true. I remember so much of that day because, like, to me and my family? That was it."
Mariners fans haven't seen the best of Rodriguez yet
Because of his youth and the amount of prime playing time, that contract amounts to an opportunity for J-Rod to stamp his name atop the list of greatest Mariners ever. By the time it's all over in Seattle, he could very well hold the franchise record for home runs and RBI. As great as Ken Griffey, Jr was during his electric years with the team, he departed midway through his career for the Cincinnati Reds. That affected his franchise numbers.
And while Ichiro Suzuki was a master at the plate? He, too, didn't spend as many years as a Mariner as many might think. The Japanese star and Hall of Famer played fourteen seasons (in two stints) with Seattle, as he spent his first six pro seasons playing in Japan. That's just two years longer than Rodriguez's current contract. And nothing is stopping J-Rod from re-signing then and finishing things out where it all started.
Considering the time and talent involved, Julio Rodriguez will eventually stand among Hall of Fame players and Seattle superstars as perhaps the best to ever wear the uniform. Down the road, it's easy to envision him winning an MVP Award or two, and eventually calling it a Cooperstown career. And for the next decade or so, Mariners fans get to enjoy watching one of the very best players in the game.
