Julio Rodríguez leaves game with injury after collision with wall

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 21: Julio Rodriguez #44 of the Seattle Mariners is helped off the field by manager Scott Servais and the athletic training staff during the sixth inning against the Houston Astros at T-Mobile Park on July 21, 2024 in Seattl (Alika Jenner / Getty Images)

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SEATTLE - Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodríguez left Sunday's game against the Houston Astros in the sixth inning after appearing to injure his right ankle colliding with the outfield wall.

Manager Scott Servais said that X-rays were negative with the expectation that Rodríguez would have an MRI as well.

"Unbelievable effort by Julio. Certainly, we're all concerned where he's at," Servais said. "Initial X-rays are negative. He's got an ankle sprain there. Right now, what I've been told is he's going to be day-to-day.

"Hopefully, knock on wood, we escaped something there."

Rodríguez ran down a fly ball from Astros slugger Yordan Álvarez deep in left-center field. However, Rodríguez seemingly twisted his ankle when his cleats got caught in the padding on the wall. Rodríguez was unable to keep the catch as he reached for his right foot in obvious pain.

Rodríguez remained down on the warning track as manager Scott Servais and a trainer ran out to attend to their injured star. Rodríguez remained down for several minutes before getting to his feet and slowly making his way off the field while getting some assistance from a trainer.

"It was a heck of a collision to run into the wall," Servais said. "That wall is not moving and that’s a big dude who is really moving fast, so you’re concerned. But when you get out there and you (see him) start putting a little weight on it and realize he just twisted it and got it caught up in the wall… hopefully we can escape a long absence from him."

Álvarez made it to third base on a triple that scored Mauricio Dubón to cut the Mariners' lead to 3-2.

Ty France entered the game in place of Rodríguez at first base, Luke Raley moved from first to right field, and Victor Robles moved from right to center field in the lineup shuffle.

"Initially, my hands went up thinking he made a great play, and then my heart sank thinking he could be seriously injured," Raley said. "Haven't really heard anything about it. Hopefully he's OK. You don't want to see that happen to anyone, especially a guy that runs center field every day for us, an elite guy like that. Defense, offense, everything."