Seattle Mariners star Julio Rodriguez remains the best slugger on his team even though he had a rough 2024 season by his high standards. The two-time All-Star missed out on the Midsummer Classic last year after a slow start, but he recovered in the second half even though the Mariners failed to reach the playoffs despite leading the AL West for much of the season.
Justin Hollander, general manager of the Seattle Mariners, is confident that Julio Rodriguez will return to his best in 2025. Hollander feels it's natural for a young player to encounter stumbling early in their career, but he has no doubt that Rodriguez has the talent and composure to figure out solutions and keep improving his abilities.
On Monday, Justin Hollander had an interview with Seattle Sports at the Mariners Spring Training facility in Peoria, Arizona. He discussed his expectations from Rodriguez for the upcoming season.
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"I think he's in a great spot," Hollander said [3:10 - 4:31]. "It takes a while for guys to come into the league and figure out their own identity. What they're good at, what they're trying to accomplish, and developing plans and routines that work for them, because what may work for me may not work for you."
"Everybody knows he's the most talented guy on the field. There's no question about that," he added. "I think he's taken real steps forward the second half of last year and this offseason, and now into spring training, in terms of how he's leading, how he's preparing himself to go max out his tools every day."
Rodriguez hit .247/.297/.327 in the opening three months of the season with seven home runs and an OPS of just .625. In contrast, he batted .312/.364/.528 from July to September with 13 home runs and an.892 OPS.
Julio Rodriguez continues to take steps forward in developing his own identity: Justin Hollander
Justin Hollander believes Julio Rodriguez is still figuring things out and learning about his strengths and weaknesses. Hollander said the 24-year-old is developing his own method for leading the Mariners clubhouse.
"He continues to take steps forward in developing his own identity," Hollander said. "Both on the field, with what he can do in the batter's box and what he does defensively, and in the clubhouse, cultivating his own way of leading, his own way of galvanizing the group of players around him."
Julio Rodriguez won the 2022 American League Rookie of the Year and was an All-Star in his first two seasons in the major leagues.
