2023-07-05 09:02:29
SAN FRANCISCO – As it turns out, the Mariners will have more than one player in attendance when T-Mobile Park hosts the All-Star Game in a week, as the Dominican Julius Rodriguez y George Kirby were added to the American League roster following the victoria de Seattle, 6-0over the Giants on Tuesday.
Rodríguez replaced Houston OF/DH Yordan Álvarez, who has been on the disabled list since June 9 with a sore right side, and Kirby took the place of Rays ace Shane McClanahan, who was placed on the IL on Saturday with a stiff mid back.
Both join Dominican Luis Castillo, who was named to the team when the rosters were announced by MLB on Sunday.
This will be the second straight Midseason Classic for Rodriguez, following being the only rookie drafted in the Majors at last year’s event at Dodger Stadium. And it will be a first for Kirby, who has been in the big leagues just 14 months but has emerged as one of the best pitchers on the NL.
Rodriguez is also set to compete in the Home Run Festival on Monday, looking to take the crown once morest strong competition at his team’s stadium following an electric performance last year.
“To be rewarded with the opportunity to be able to go on the field in front of the fans in Seattle and in front of my family members who will be there, it will definitely be a lot of fun,” Rodriguez said.
The Dominican’s production in 2023 hasn’t lived up to his epic 2022, when he was awarded AL Rookie of the Year, but he makes an impact as a star for the game, the city of Seattle and the event itself.
The 22-year-old outfielder entered Tuesday’s action hitting .246/.309/.414 (.723 OPS) with 13 home runs, 46 RBIs, 16 doubles, a triple and 20 steals, resulting in a wRC+ of 105 (the league average is 100) and leads the Mariners with a 2.3 fWAR.
In the All-Star Game, he went 0-for-2 and patrolled center field for the final five innings. The quisqueyan is the 13th player called up to multiple Midseason Classics as a member of the Mariners.
“It wasn’t a disappointment,” Rodriguez said of not being included in the starting roster. “It was, ‘Well, there’s work to be done. We have to continue. We have to keep moving forward.’ There are games to win, and that was my mentality.”
He just hopes he can keep his own locker when his fancy companions arrive.
“I think there are a lot of guys that I can learn from,” Rodriguez said. “I’m definitely excited to be able to talk to a lot of the guys.”
For his part, Kirby is scheduled to make his last outing of the first half on Thursday in Houston, so he would be in position to pitch on normal rest in the All-Star Game. After Logan Gilbert’s jewel Tuesday at Oracle Park, the Mariners are tied for first in the majors with 43 quality starts, and they owe it in large part to Kirby. With his 13 quality starts, he is tied for the AL lead with Toronto’s Kevin Gausman.
“I didn’t expect it at this point,” Kirby said. “You play your whole life for these kinds of moments, so it’s kind of cool.”
Kirby leads the majors by far with a 9.56 K/BB ratio, which is a historic step. Kirby is 7-7 with a 3.21 ERA, 86 strikeouts and nine walks in 101 innings of work and has held opposing hitters to a .248/.268/.390 line (.658 OPS). In essence, he has put the Mariners in position to win in each of his 16 starts.
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