Emerging
Jun 18, 20261
69%
Julio Rodríguez's Monster May Could Signal Career-Defining Season
Julio Rodríguez's outstanding May—featuring 10 homers, 17 extra-base hits, and a .590 slugging percentage—marks a career high in monthly power numbers and signals a potential career-defining season if he sustains his performance into the second half. His breakthrough challenges his typical pattern of slow starts, positioning him as a contender for All-Star selection and the AL MVP race.
Quick Facts
Who
Julio Rodríguez
What
Posted 10 home runs in May 2026
When
May 2026
Where
Seattle Mariners
- Posted 10 home runs in May 2026
- Recorded 17 extra-base hits in May
- Achieved .590 slugging percentage in May
- Produced 27 extra-base hits in past 53 games
- Made three All-Star teams
Julio Rodríguez is experiencing a breakthrough May that could reshape his 2026 season and challenge expectations about his typical slow starts. The Seattle Mariners center fielder posted 10 home runs, 17 extra-base hits, and a .590 slugging percentage in the month—career highs in monthly homers and extra-base hits, and his second-best monthly slugging percentage ever behind his .724 mark in August 2023.
Rodríguez's performance represents a departure from a long-standing pattern. From 2022 through 2025, he consistently posted a .737 OPS before the All-Star break and a .902 OPS after it, with second-half improvements of at least 123 points each season. His slow start to 2026 followed suit, taking more than two weeks to record his first extra-base hit. However, once he caught fire, the results have been striking. Over his past 53 games, he has recorded 27 extra-base hits, including 13 homers, while slugging .528.
Through 67 team games, Rodríguez has already established season-best numbers across multiple statistical categories: 13 homers, 14 doubles, 22 walks, 27 extra-base hits, 122 total bases, .452 slugging percentage, and .767 OPS. These figures position him as a legitimate contender for both All-Star starting honors—where Aaron Judge's rib injury has opened opportunities—and the AL MVP race, despite competing against strong candidates like Yordan Alvarez and Bobby Witt Jr.
Context may amplify Rodríguez's candidacy. While several MVP contenders play for sub-.500 teams, Rodríguez has been central to the Mariners' turnaround, helping them rebound from a 22-26 start to lead the AL West with recent dominance. His defensive performance has been uncharacteristically weak this season (-3 Outs Above Average), but his offensive contribution has more than compensated. If he maintains his second-half excellence—June has historically been one of his weaker months at .699 career OPS—Rodríguez could achieve the kind of elite, wire-to-wire season that has eluded him despite three All-Star selections, two Silver Slugger awards, and becoming the first player with 20-plus homers and steals in each of his first four seasons.
Topics
Why This Matters
Rodríguez's May breakthrough signals a fundamental shift in his seasonal performance pattern that could reshape how scouts and analysts evaluate his long-term MVP ceiling. After years of predictable slow starts followed by second-half surges, he is finally proving capable of elite, wire-to-wire production—the hallmark of true MVP-caliber seasons. For the Mariners, his offensive excellence is directly tied to their AL West leadership, making his sustained performance critical to their playoff ambitions. For fantasy baseball players and sportsbook operators, his trajectory into June becomes a pivotal indicator of whether this is a sustainable leap or a month-long hot streak.
Timeline & Sources
Jan 1, 2022
WireJulio Rodríguez named AL Rookie of the Year; becomes first player with 20+ homers and steals in first season
Jun 18, 2026
WireMLB.com article analyzes Rodríguez's monster May and potential for career year