Julio Rodríguez wins American League Silver Slugger
Julio Rodríguez took home some hardware Thursday afternoon, securing his first major award. Let's take a look at the unbelievable season Julio was able to put together in Seattle.
Julio Rodríguez took home his first major award on Thursday, securing the American League Silver Slugger award. Rodríguez won the award over many outstanding hitters including Kyle Tucker of the Houston Astros. Fellow outfielders Mike Trout and Aaron Judge took home the other two outfield spots.
The 21 year old is just the second Mariners rookie to bring home the award, joining Ichiro Suzuki in 2001. Rodríguez was one of the best hitters in all of baseball this season, putting together a 146 WRC+ according to Fangraphs.
This means he was 46 points higher than the league average, which is no surprise. The kid slashed .284/.345/.509 with 28 home runs on the season, and will be expecting more accolades to come his way this month.
He is a finalist for Rookie of the Year, and should easily bring home the award. A Silver Slugger and a Rookie of the Year, as well as signing a massive contract extension in his rookie season is fitting for the youngster.
It is easy to forget how tough April and May were for Rodríguez, as his numbers cratered. His confidence never wavered, and the young centerfielder was still able to win a Silver Slugger even after his brutal start.
Rodríguez should only continue to get better, especially with numbers like this as a rookie. As the Mariners head into free agency, they have a bonafide superstar for potential suitors to join, and his name is Julio Rodríguez.
