Latest Julio Rodriguez Injury Update Gives Mariners' Playoffs Hopes Massive Boost

As the 2022 MLB season nears its end, the Seattle Mariners continue battling for an American League playoff spot. Though they currently hold the final wild card position, holding on has been easier said than done after star outfielder Julio Rodriguez was placed on the injured list last week.

Fortunately, there's good news surrounding the talented rookie. Mariners insider Ryan Divish reported on Monday that Rodriguez will be back in the lineup on Monday, Oct. 3 — the first day that he's eligible to return from the IL.

Julio Rodriguez Injury Update

Rodriguez's return will provide a significant boost to the Mariners' playoff hopes. He'll also have a few regular-season games to get back into the swing of things. Seattle begins a four-game series with the Detroit Tigers on Oct. 3, including a doubleheader the following day.

The 21-year-old has dealt with back tightness throughout September, resulting in his IL placement on Friday. Though the situation was initially concerning, he's clearly made some major strides in his recovery or else the Mariners wouldn't expect him back so soon.

Rodriguez has been instrumental to Seattle's success this season. On top of pacing his team with 25 stolen bases, the dynamic player has also cranked out 27 home runs and 73 RBIs while slashing .280/.342/.502 in exactly 500 at-bats.

The Mariners are only 3.5 games ahead of the Baltimore Orioles for the AL's final playoff spot. There's a decent chance that the Tigers series could determine whether Seattle makes the postseason or not, meaning Scott Servais' club could really use a fully healthy Rodriguez back in the lineup.

Mariners World Series Odds

If Rodriguez helps the Mariners qualify for the MLB playoffs, a championship run isn't an unrealistic possibility. FanDuel Sportsbook has Seattle available at +2600 odds to win the 2022 World Series, ranking eighth-best across the Majors.

Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Devon Platana also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username PepeSilvia0. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.