Julio Rodriguez Aug 17, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez (44) runs to first base after hitting an RBI single in the second inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
MLBBy Chris Novak on

Julio Rodríguez just made headlines on Thursday afternoon. The Seattle Mariners superstar made history and erupted against the Kansas City Royals for five hits.

Rodríguez saved his biggest hit for last. In the eighth inning, the Seattle outfielder went lift-off on a go-ahead home run. In homering, J-Rod made Major League Baseball history. He became the first player in MLB history to hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases in his first two seasons.

“Julio Rodríguez with a massive go-ahead homer for his 5th hit of the day!” The Comeback posted.

Mariners announcer Aaron Goldsmith delivered a great call of the home run as well. J-Rod has been sensational in the second half. He entered Thursday, hitting .295 in the second half of the MLB season with an OPS of .871. He might not be as loud and pronounced as he was on a Mariner team that made the postseason last year. However, he’s still been swinging a hot bat after the second half started. And that’s after another stirring showing in the MLB Home Run Derby.

The Mariners defeated the Royals 6-4 thanks to that home run and a dinger by Cal Raleigh that followed shortly after. So Rodríguez’s heroics came up large on a historic day for the burgeoning superstar outfielder.

The MLB world reacted to the spectacular five-hit game by Julio Rodríguez.

[The Comeback]

About Chris Novak

Chris Novak has been talking and writing about sports ever since he can remember. Previously, Novak wrote for and managed sites in the SB Nation network for nearly a decade from 2013-2022

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