Okay, I know we’re only a week in. But after what we saw last year, I think it’s time we have the chat.

Is Julio Rodriguez that guy?

Here’s a list of things I would rather do than have to write this:

1. Cut off my eyelids and be forced to watch 100 hours of Instagram alpha male influencer videos.
2. Sit in a sauna for a day at full heat while wearing an entire outfit of denim.
3. Eat nothing but cold Chef Boyardee out of a can for a year.
4. Fill my shoes with Lego’s and run a marathon.
5. Brush my teeth using sand.

You get the point. As a lifelong Mariners fan, this is a devastating subject to write about.

Julio was electric in 2022, his rookie season. He mashed 28 homers, with a .284 average, and a scintillating .853 OPS on his way to Rookie of the Year honors. It looked like he was on his way to being one of the premier players in the MLB. 

And on his way out of town, considering the history of the Mariners.

Instead, to my delight and surprise, we signed him. We didn’t only sign him; we gave him 12-years, $210 million guaranteed.

For anyone that knows the Mariners, this was unheard of. We’ll talk about the malpractice of the lizard Mariners’ ownership in another blog, but this isn’t their typical behavior.

Point is, we were set. We had our guy, and had locked him down for over a decade. The golden years were upon us.

At least we thought.

Since then, Julio’s numbers have dipped each year, with 2024 being the worst of his career. He started off hot, but went ice cold through the most important stretch of the season. Sure he got hot again in September, but it was a little too much too late. 

And now, here we are in 2025 – hoping and praying that the J-Rod we know and love is going to return to form. But so far, it’s not looking good.

By no means am I giving up hope –I still believe in Julio. He’s still an absolute stud in centerfield, and his swing is a thing of beauty. But, in terms of being THE GUY, I’m not so sure. The eye test isn’t looking good, and that’s a scary thought, considering we thought he was gonna be the backbone of this team for years to come.

Julio, I can’t stand that I’m watching this. I’d rather watch the 18-inning Astros game in the ALDS every day for the rest of my life. Alas, I must ask the question – Are you the guy? So come on baby, we need your swagger back.

Go M’s.