Manager Scott Servais said that a medical scan on Rodriguez’s right leg came back clean.
“He’s going to be OK,” Servais said Sunday morning. “He’s just in a little pain. …I think we’ve avoided anything serious.”
Out of the lineup to start the game, Rodriguez had an eventful day anyway.
Inserted into the game as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning, Rodriguez was hit by a 96-mph sinker from Blue Jays reliever Zach Popp, a pitch that touched the protective guard covering Rodriguez’s left elbow. .
Rodriguez did not field in the top of the ninth. Luke Raleigh took over center field and Dylan Moore played left field.
Rodriguez’s workday ended shortly thereafter when, in the bottom of the ninth, he was ejected from the dugout by home-plate umpire Jordan Baker. Rodriguez was apparently debating the called third strike to teammate Mitch Garver, who started the inning.
In the Mariners clubhouse before Sunday’s game, Rodriguez said he was “fine,” but otherwise declined to provide details.
Rodriguez was scheduled to receive further treatment from the Mariners’ training staff on Sunday.
The 23-year-old player felt discomfort in his quad while sprinting during pregame warmups on Saturday. He started the game in center field, but discomfort persisted and he was removed after the end of the first inning.
Rodriguez, who was in a long slump, was coming off his best game of the season on Thursday, when he homered and doubled in a comeback win over the Orioles.
“We need this guy,” Servais said. “The disappointing thing is he was starting to see time based on where he was at the plate. So hopefully it’s not a shock at all, and I don’t doubt that it will be.”
Robles hits first homer
Victor Robles replaced Rodriguez in the lineup on Sunday, made his first start for the Mariners in center field and then, in his first at-bat, hit his first home run for the M’s.
Robles turned on an inside fastball from Toronto starter Jose Berrios and threw it 424 feet to left field, giving the Mariners a 1–0 lead in the third inning. It was his first homer with the Washington Nationals since September 27, 2022.
Robles also drew a walk and stole a base on Sunday.
Robles, a right-handed hitter, has played little since being signed as a free agent by the Mariners in early June.
He has worked on some swing adjustments with hitting coaches, and he has produced limited at-bats with the Mariners, now hitting .350 (7 for 20) with one homer and two doubles.
Robles is part of the left field platoon, but the Mariners have not faced many left-handed starting pitchers recently.
“The thing that stands out about Victor is that he can have one of the more upbeat, positive personalities of anybody in our clubhouse,” Servais said. “And it’s tough when you’re not playing as much. But he shows up every day with a smile on his face.”
Woo, Santos is close to a comeback
Brian Wu reported feeling good after starting a 45-pitch rehab with the High-A Everett AquaSox on Saturday night.
Mixing in a new mystery pitch, Wu threw his scheduled 45 pitches (24 strikes) with two walks and two strikeouts. He surrendered a home run into the right-field short porch at Funko Field.
Reliever Gregory Santos also worked out Saturday in Everett, his second rehab outing. He was efficient and “electric”, as Servais called it, and needed only eight pitches to pitch a perfect inning, with one strikeout.
Santos, 24, pitched a scoreless inning for Triple-A Tacoma in his first rehab outing on Tuesday.
There is a good chance that both Wu and Santos will make their next appearances for the Mariners.
Wu’s next outing in the rotation will come Friday when the Mariners play the Angels in Anaheim.
If the Mariners decide to activate Wu, he will still be on a limited pitch count. But considering how efficient Wu has been this season, Servais expects Wu to be able to go five innings even on 60 to 65 pitches.