Julio Rodríguez hits first home run since July 20 with a two-run homer in the Mariners’ win over the Rays

Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodríguez ended a month-long home run drought on Wednesday when he hit his first home run since July 20. Rodríguez hit a towering two-run homer in the fifth inning to help the Mariners to a 6-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Rodríguez’s home run sent him and shortstop J.P. Crawford home to give Seattle a boost over the Rays. Crawford had returned to the lineup Wednesday after spending a month on the injured list with a broken right hand.

Rodríguez, the 2022 AL Rookie of the Year, has struggled on offense this season. After hitting 32 homers and 103 RBI last year, he has just 12 homers and 42 RBI so far this season. He’s also hitting .253, a career low, and has 18 stolen bases, which falls short of his totals from the past two seasons.

Overall, the Mariners’ offense has left much to be desired in 2024, with the team leading the league in strikeouts and trailing the league in hits. Seattle has relied on its strong starting rotation to stay in the playoff mix for much of the year, but subpar offensive production has cost the team several times this season.

The Mariners are still trying to recover from a disastrous 1-8 road trip that culminated in the decision to fire longtime manager Scott Servais. Seattle hired former catcher Dan Wilson as a replacement and added Hall of Famer Edgar Martinez as hitting coach in hopes of keeping their playoff chances alive.

Seattle once held a 10-game lead in the AL West, but has since fallen behind the Houston Astros in the division. The Astros also won Wednesday, leaving the Mariners 3.5 games behind.

Seattle then visits the bottom team Los Angeles Angels, while the Astros take on the Kansas City Royals at home (75-59).