Seattle Mariners superstar Julio Rodriguez, aka ‘J-Rod’, showed off his electric speed by collecting his 15th stolen base of the 2023 MLB season, and in doing so, joined the San Diego Padres Fernando Tatis Jr. in an elite club in league history.
Sunday’s battle against the Chicago White Sox marked the 200th game of Rodriguez’s career. Rodriguez’s 15th stolen base of the season was the 40th of his career, making him the second-fastest player since way back in 1900 to record 40 home runs and 40 steals.
It took Rodriguez 200 games to achieve the feat, while Tatis Jr. needed just an unbelievable 185. No player has reached the threshold faster throughout the history of the league, dating back more than 120 years, per ESPN Stats and Info.
Rodriguez has 12 home runs and 15 steals this season, bringing him up to an even 40 in both categories for his career.
During a Rookie of the Year-winning campaign in 2022, Rodriguez slashed .284/.345/.509 with 28 home runs and 75 RBI. He inked a 12-year, $209 million deal with the Mariners during the offseason, which will take him through the 2034 season.
Seattle’s 22-year-old superstar continued the impressive start to his career during Sunday’s victory against the South Siders, notching another milestone under his belt at a near-record pace.
Following Sunday’s 5–1 win, which closed out a series win against the White Sox, the Mariners will prepare for a series against the New York Yankees, which gets underway Tuesday.
