Julio Rodríguez Talks Hitting

The FanGraphs Newsletter, June 25, 2024 [READ IN BROWSER]( June 25, 2024 Julio Rodríguez is having a down year with the bat. Three months into the season, the 23-year-old Seattle Mariners center fielder is slashing just .257/.308/.343 with seven home runs and a 92 wRC+, numbers that are well below the .279/.338/.495 with a 135 wRC+ and 60 home runs he put up over his first two big league campaigns. There are a pair of silver linings, though. One is that Rodríguez was markedly better in the second half of the 2023 season (a .942 OPS) than he’d been in the first half (.721). The other is Seattle’s record. Even with the superstar performing at less than his usual standards, the Mariners are 45-36 and sitting atop the AL West standings. If Rodríguez were to repeat last season’s second-half resurgence — something you might not want to bet against — that surely would go a long way toward helping propel Seattle’s postseason push. In the 104th installment of our Talks Hitting series, Rodríguez discussed his early development as a hitter, how he balances staying the course with a need for change, and the perspective he takes when looking at his stat sheet. David Laurila: How did you first learn to hit? Julio Rodríguez: “Little League. I just picked up a bat with my dad and started swinging it.” Laurila: Do you consider yourself a natural hitter? Rodríguez: “Kind of, yeah. I could say that. In Little League, I had my coach and all that, but my dad was a big part of it too. There was a point where he was kind of my coach before I went to this academy in Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic. He, as well as some other coaches, helped me out.” [READ MORE]( [Top of the Order: It’s Time for Trader Jerry To Add Bats]( The Mariners need offense — badly. Here’s how they should improve their lineup before the July 30 trade deadline. | by Jon Becker [Minnesota Twins Top 43 Prospects]( This is a fun, exciting system that has improved substantially in the last calendar year, mostly because of players the team has signed or drafted and then developed. | by Eric Longenhagen and Travis Ice [The Phillies Lock up Another Part of Their League-Best Rotation]( Cristopher Sánchez signed an extension over the weekend that could run through the 2030 season and reach a maximum total value of $56.5 million. | by Dan Szymborski [FanGraphs Power Rankings: June 17–23]( The Red Sox, Astros, Cardinals, and Mets are trending upward right now, while things are looking bleak for the Blue Jays. | by Jake Mailhot [It Takes a Village to Raise a JJ Wetherholt]( West Virginia University finance major seeks camaraderie, new golf clubs, and a lengthy career in baseball. | by Michael Baumann 🎧 [Effectively Wild Episode 2181: No Ifs, Ands, or Pancake Butts]( [DOWNLOAD THE FANGRAPHS APP]( [FanGraphs & Effectively Wild Merch Is Now Available at BreakingT!]( [ORDER HERE]( [2024 MLB trade deadline: Passan's top additions for contenders]( by Jeff Passan, ESPN ($) [Tylor Megill And The Darvish Dilemma]( by Jack Foley, Pitcher List [Why Aaron Judge loves center field, Gunnar Henderson’s ascent and more MLB notes]( by Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic ($) [A barehanded catch on a 108.5 mph foul! Is this the greatest fan grab ever?]( by Brent Maguire and Joe Trezza, MLB [@fangraphs]( [FanGraphs]( [FanGraphs]( [RSS]( [FORWARD]( [SUBSCRIBE]( Copyright © 2024 FanGraphs Inc, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you subscribed to the FanGraphs Newsletter. Our mailing address is: FanGraphs Inc 3017 N Underwood StArlington, VA 22213 [Add us to your address book]( Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](