PEORIA, Ariz. – Spring Training is all about fine-tuning for the regular season, and even Julio Rodríguez had to quickly adjust his home run celebrations after hitting a grand slam in Wednesday’s 7-6 loss to the Royals.
The reason? He pointed to the wrong bullpen.
“I pointed to the [right-field] side and thought, ‘Oops, that’s the Royals!’” Rodríguez explained. “It happens, I’ll get used to it.”
Despite the minor slip-up, everything else seems to be in top form for Rodríguez. The Mariners’ center fielder crushed a first-pitch breaking ball from Ross Stripling in the second inning with the bases loaded, launching his third home run of the Cactus League season—a 412-foot blast at 107.6 mph. Earlier, he also hit a 104.8 mph single to the opposite field in the first inning.
Rodríguez was prepared for the fastball and honed in on the right pitch early in the count, having faced a variety of offerings from the Royals last Wednesday, when he hit two home runs.
“That’s something I want to carry into the year,” Rodríguez said. “In situations like that, or any at-bat, just maintaining a clear approach and executing.”
Rodríguez has had an impressive spring with a .679 slugging percentage in 28 at-bats.
“The game is tough, but simplifying it makes a difference,” Rodríguez shared. “Right now, I’m staying focused on the right pitches and putting good swings on the ball.”
Brash Faces ‘Butterflies’ in Live BP
Matt Brash marked another milestone in his recovery from Tommy John surgery with a live batting practice session against right-handed hitters Ryan Bliss and Luke Raley, throwing about 25 pitches. The session, which focused on getting Brash back to pitching on a mound with hitters in the box, had a no-swing rule.
Brash topped out at 93-95 mph with his fastball, mixing in some breaking balls.
“I was a little nervous this morning, but not about how I’d feel physically. It was more the excitement before getting into a game,” Brash said.
The next step for Brash, who’s on track for a late-April return from the injured list, will involve facing live hitters. If all goes well, he may advance to Minor League or simulated games.
Garver at 80% After Getting Hit by Pitch
Mitch Garver was still dealing with a bruise on his right hand/wrist two days after being hit by a pitch from Minor Leaguer Kaleb Bowman in Monday’s game against the Brewers. The Mariners’ backup catcher and DH had to leave the game but received treatment on Tuesday and reported improvement, now feeling at about “80 percent,” with plans to return soon.
Garver has been performing well in spring training, hitting .444 with a 1.420 OPS and three home runs in 18 at-bats.
Big Unit Makes an Appearance
Hall of Famer Randy Johnson made a rare appearance this spring, joining Ichiro Suzuki, Alvin Davis, Ken Griffey Jr., and Jay Buhner as part of the Mariners’ tradition of former stars visiting during camp.
For Seattle’s starting pitchers, Johnson’s visit was significant.
“He shared some key insights about pivotal moments in his career,” said Bryan Woo, who struck out five against Kansas City. “What stood out to me were the lessons on preparation and patience. He emphasized that success takes time, and you just have to keep working.”
Rizzs Returns to the Booth
Longtime radio broadcaster Rick Rizzs was back on the air two days after a scary incident in which he was struck on the back of the head by a line drive while calling the game. After being checked by the Mariners’ medical staff over the past few days, Rizzs returned to work and was humorously gifted a catcher’s helmet by GM Justin Hollander.
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