Julio Rodriguez has been the face of the Seattle Mariners since his rookie season back in 2022. He stormed there, won the AL Rookie of the Year, and became the team’s weapon. But sometimes, even weapons lose their shine a little. And despite his superstar potential, he faced one major problem—his slow starts. Year 1 and one could let things slide; he is all but a rookie. But come the next year, he struggled similarly. He caught fire only later on in the season. It had everyone wondering if he could have a fully dominant year.

2024 was a similarly picture, except for a better ending. A sluggish start combined with the team-wide struggle left the Seattle Mariners in a bad position. But finally Rodriguez found his pace, and so did the team. In the final bout, he hit .313 with nine home runs and 30 RBIs. He helped the Mariners finish 21-13 in their last 34 games. But this fire was needed earlier, and it seems like this time things will be different.

On Foul Territory, A.J. Pierzynski and Ryan Divish were in a deep discussion on whether Julio Rodriguez can even avoid a slow start. Divish mentioned that Julio has historically needed time to start strong. And the truth is he doesn’t need to start strong; he needs to keep up at least performing in his average capacity. He also mentioned that with the addition of Edgar Martinez, the team and Julio seem to be in a better place. His host, however, had a different take.

Pierzynski, who was a past pupil of Kevin Hites, had a sarcastic take: “You know why he’ll be better? Because Kevin Seitzer is the new hitting coach. He hates home runs, so he’s definitely going to tell Julio to hit singles and not home runs. Trust me, I know. I played for him for two years. Huge fan.” It’s a tongue-in-cheek moment, but the message is clear—Hites could bring a fresh, disciplined approach to Julio Rodriguez. 

And it seems like Rodriguez did put in the work last season, even though late on. Often, such stars find it difficult to listen to advice. But someone, when a star like Divish mentions, “hits rock bottom,” they listen to the right voices. If he ends up taking the right lessons, he might avoid that initial slump altogether. And who knows, even get an MVP? FanGraphs, in fact, suggest that both Rodriguez and Cal Raleigh are expected to be in the league’s top 15 hitters in WAR. If that’s the case, the Mariners offense could look vastly different. More so if he starts swinging from day one.

Julio Rodríguez reacts to Mariners re-signing Jorge Polanco!

The Seattle Mariners may not have been the busiest teams this offseason. But even then, they have locked in on a key piece for 2025. The team has re-signed Jorge Polanco for a one-year, $7.75 million deal. It also includes a player option for another season. And well, Julio Rodriguez was more than thrilled with this. He, after all, shares not just the clubhouse but also the culture of his Dominican roots with Polanco. The Mariners star took to Instagram and shared a simple, “Dime Polooooo!” reaction.

Meanwhile, it’s crucial to note that Polanco’s incoming from the Minnesota Twins in 2024 was far from ideal. A left knee injury led to him struggling, and he hit just .213 with a .296 on-base percentage. He finally went through surgery in October, and the Mariners had declined his $12 million option, so he did become a free agent.

Now there were heavy rumors that Jorge Polanco was headed to the Houston Astros as a replacement for Alex Bregman. But ultimately, even that didn’t transpire, and Seattle got him back. As per sources, he is set to shift to third base in 2025 after playing second last season. As for the Mariners, their bullpen looks great going into 2025, and the team with the hitting staff seems strong.

What do you think about the Mariners 2025 season? Any prediction? Let us know!