Seattle Mariners Superstar Julio Rodriguez Got a Little Richer This Week
Seattle Mariners star Julio Rodriguez got a little bit richer this week, earning a bonus of $509,957 through the MLB pre-arbitration bonus pool.
Sure, Rodriguez already has a contract worth at least $209 million, but it's always good to add something to your bank account, espcially around the holidays.
Rodriguez wasn't the only M's player to take in a bonus, as Cal Raleigh, George Kirby, Bryce Miller, Bryan Woo and Luke Raley were all rewarded for their seasons.
The Associated Press put out the full list of earners here, and MLBTradeRumors did a great job explaining how it all works.
The most recent collective bargaining agreement introduced a $50MM pool that is divided among players who have yet to accrue enough service time to reach arbitration. (Each team commits around $1.67MM to that fund every season.) The goal was to help highly-performing young players get paid earlier in their careers. Players are eligible even if they’ve signed a contract extension, as Witt did before the season
Bobby Witt Jr. Tops Pre-Arbitration Bonus Pool https://t.co/rtwrBICFWY pic.twitter.com/o7JYr141Gj
— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) December 14, 2024
The 23-year-old Rodriguez had the worst year of his three-year career, but still found a way to be incredibly productive for Seattle over 143 games. He hit 20 homers, drove in 68 runs and stole 24 bases, all while playing superb defense in center field. Despite a high-ankle sprain that cost him three weeks of action, he still produced a WAR of 4.3.
The Mariners missed the playoffs by one game in 2024, same as in 2023. If they are going to reverse their fortunes in 2025, they'll need Rodriguez to keep ascending and putting up big numbers.
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