By Lauren Smith | McClatchy News Service
SEATTLE — Julio Rodriguez, the No. 2 prospect in the Seattle Mariners organization, has a hairline fracture in his left wrist, manager Scott Servais said Thursday.
Following the Mariners’ summer camp intrasquad game Wednesday, Rodriguez was playing defense in the outfield during a base running drill and fell awkwardly on his wrist while diving for a soft line drive.
Rodriguez “jammed his wrist in the ground,” Servais said, and was later seen leaving the field with trainers. X-rays taken later revealed the fracture.
“That was certainly the lowlight of the day, no question,” Servais said during his morning video call with reporters Thursday.
Rodriguez will have more tests completed Thursday to map out a treatment course, but will be “on hold for a while,” Servais said.
Rodriguez, the 19-year-old outfielder who signed with the Mariners in 2017 as one of the top international amateur free agents, was expected to join Seattle’s taxi squad in Tacoma on July 27 to spend the rest of the summer continuing his development.
He was invited to big league spring training back in February, was named to the 60-man player pool in June and arrived at Mariners summer camp late last week after clearing health protocols.
Rodriguez showcased his power earlier in Wednesday’s intrasquad game, notching his first hit on an RBI double off Mariners starter Kendall Graveman that reached the warning track in center field.
The wrist injury happened when the Mariners reconvened on the field following the final out of the three-inning game.
“Feel horrible for Julio,” Servais said. “Again, young player in a drill, he’s going all out. That’s what we expect of our guys, but unfortunate that happened. I feel really, really bad for him.
“He had a great day [Wednesday] leading into that. He banged the ball off the wall against Graveman. Hate to see that happen to anybody, but certainly a young player. Really important for him to get some at-bats and experience, but he’ll be on hold for a while.”
Servais said he spoke to Rodriguez in the training room Wednesday before the X-ray results were returned, but Rodriguez was remaining optimistic.
Rodriguez wrote in a tweet Thursday morning he will “be back even better than before.”
“And be ready for what’s coming,” he wrote.
Rodriguez was shut down for two months last season with a hairline fracture in his left hand after he was hit by a pitch playing for Low-A West Virginia.
He returned to finish the season hitting .326/.390/.540 with 26 doubles, four triples, 12 homers and 69 RBI in 84 games between West Virginia and High-A Modesto. He later played 15 games in the Arizona Fall League, hitting .288/.397/.365 with four doubles and 10 RBI.
“Julio’s got a great attitude,” Servais said. “He’s one of the more upbeat, positive young players I’ve ever been around. He just doesn’t get down on himself, and we love that infectious smile he brings every day.
“… He’ll be running some tests here the rest of [Thursday] to kind of figure out how this gets treated, and get him back as soon as we can.”
Short hops
Infielder Dee Gordon was scratched from Wednesday’s game and has not played in an intrasquad game since Monday. Servais said Thursday morning he could not comment on Gordon’s situation. “That’s just where it’s at,” he said. “I have to leave it at that. We’ll see what today brings.”
Teams are not allowed to comment on players dealing with COVID-19 and several players around the league have been held out of workouts while awaiting results from the league’s every-other-day testing policy.
Gordon is 2-for-9 with two RBI in the three intrasquad games he has played in. … Catcher Tom Murphy (foot contusion) was removed midway through Tuesday’s game after a foul ball hit the instep of his foot — the same area he fouled a ball off himself earlier in camp — and was held out Wednesday.” He could return to play in a limited capacity Thursday. “You hit the same bone in your foot a couple times with foul ball tips, it’s going to bark for a while,” Servais said. “That’s where he’s at, but it’s more my call today to keep him out of the lineup than his. If it was a normal regular season he would be in there.”
