Seattle Mariners making right move with Julio Rodriguez extension

The Seattle Mariners have regarded Julio Rodriguez as a potential cornerstone player of their franchise for years. Now he is set to be a part of their foreseeable future.

According to Jeff Passan, Rodriguez is set to sign a 14 year extension worth a guaranteed $210 million. Different clauses and escalators could push the deal to over $400 million. There are also team and player options in the contract as well which could essentially make Rodriguez a lifelong member of the organization. As Bob Nightengale noted, if all of those options are exercised and Rodriguez hits those marks, this would be a 20 year deal worth $450 million.

Seattle Mariners take necessary gamble on Julio Rodriguez

Any long term deal is going to be a gamble, especially one of this length. There is no guarantee that Rodriguez will continue his development and become the star that he is expected to be. There has been a long list of players in major league history to have a stellar year or two to being their careers only to flame out.

And yet, this is the type of gamble that the Mariners need to make. Rodriguez has been phenomenal in his rookie campaign, posting a .269/.328/.471 batting line with 19 doubles and 20 homers in his 458 plate appearances entering Friday. He has also stolen 23 bases as he became the sixth player in Mariners’ history to put together a 20-20 season.

Based on his potential and performance thus far, Rodriguez could be a star beyond the next decade. His blend of power, speed, and excellent defense make him someone that should rack up plenty of hardware over the course of his career. That could start this season as Rodriguez has to be considered the favorite for the AL Rookie of the Year award.

This also gives the Mariners’ a key piece of their foundation. Chances are, they will look to extend other young players, locking in a core that they hope will keep them in playoff contention for years to come.

The Seattle Mariners have locked Julio Rodriguez up for the foreseeable future. He could be a part of the organization for the next two decades.