Seattle Mariners Franchise Star Joins Legend in Team History
The Seattle Mariners lost a disappointing game against the Oakland Athletics on Monday. It was the third straight loss for the Mariners and kept them at six games behind the Houston Astros in the American League West and 5.5 games out of the third AL Wild Card spot.
The result wasn't what Seattle wanted — but the game did feature some franchise history being made.
In the top of the sixth — after he got on-base with a single — franchise star Julio Rodriguez stole second base. It was Rodriguez's 20th steal of the season and put him in a very exclusive category.
Rodriguez became just the second player in franchise history to steal 20 or more bases in each of his first three seasons with the team. The only other player to accomplish that feat was Ichirio Suzuki.
Rodriguez stole 25 bases in 2022 and 37 bases in 2023.
Suzuki in his first three years with the club (2001-03) had stolen base totals of 56, 31 and 34.
It's appropriate that its those two players who stand alone in accomplishing that in team history, considering they've combined to be the main faces of the franchise for the better part of the last 20 years.
Suzuki played with the team from 2001-2012 before being traded to the New York Yankees and finishing his career with the Mariners with two more years from 2018-19.
Rodriguez is only in his third season with Seattle but has already been positioned and paid like the face of the franchise he has been since his rookie season.
Rodriguez signed a contract in 2022 that pays out a base of $120 million through the 2029 season. There's a club option that can extend the contract through the 2034 season and pay out an additional $90 million.
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