Julio Rodriguez rekindles memories with loyal Mariners fans after sweeping Royals to lead AL West

Courtesy of an incredible run of form by Julio Rodriguez, the Seattle Mariners have won all three games against the Kansas City Royals and sit atop the AL West.

Mariners fans have reason to celebrate as their team has snagged the top position this late in the MLB season for the first time since August 24, 2003. The team finds themselves in playoff territory with a 74 -56 record, after winning 21 of their last 26 games.

As fans raucously celebrated their extraordinary rise to the top of the table, Julio Rodriguez said (via MLB.com):

"It's unbelievable. It's something that these fans deserve. This whole organization, we've all been working. And just to see that and to see how the city's embracing us and our success right now, the way they're supporting us, it's pretty cool.

"I just hope that everybody keeps on showing up and keeps on bringing the energy because at the end of the day, we are all in this together.

“We just want to keep controlling what we can control and we don't have to worry about them. We can't worry about them. I feel like we've just got to focus all we need to do as a team, as the Mariners -- control we can control for each other [and] letting everything outside play out how it's going to play out.”

Rodriguez and fellow Dominican Teoscar Hernandez continued to impress, leading the Mariners on a run that has seen them lose only once in the last twelve games.

How has Julio Rodriguez's season been shaping up thus far?

The 2022 AL Rookie of the Year's season before the end of July had been underwhelming compared to his previous standards. He had slashed an average of .251/.315/.423, which had not been reminiscent of his 2022 season.

However, at the start of August, Rodriguez seemed to evolve into an even better player than last year. In his last fifteen games, he has slashed an incredible .423/0.468/.718.

He has also proceeded to set an MLB record, with the most hits (17) in a four-game stretch, a record that had stood since 1925. Rodriguez finds himself tied with another MLB record, having at least 4 hits in four straight games.

Given their lackluster start to the season, this unprecedented winning stretch has undeniably invigorated the Seattle Mariners and star Julio Rodriguez. This season, the team aims to sustain their form as they seek to make their debut in the World Series.