Mariners Make Unfortunate Julio Rodriguez Announcement Before Astros Game first appeared on Athlon Sports on May 22, 2025

Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez was scratched about 30 minutes before Thursday's series opener against the Astros.

The Astros have sort of limped along in the muddy middle of the American League standings. As recently as May 14, they were a game behind the Mariners in the AL West, but they’re now 3.5 games back after going 3-4 since that date.

Preview the May 22 matchup between the Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros with recent trends, how to watch, livestream info, and more.

The series opener against the host Houston Astros on Thursday resulted in a loss for the Mariners as a team, but the Seattle rotation took a step forward.

The Seattle Mariners are about to finish up their 10-game road trip with four games in Houston against the Astros, and Houston is dealing with another big injury to its starting rotation.

After a lengthy rain delay to start the game, the Mariners are held to just four hits and fall to the White Sox 1-0 on a chilly night in Chicago, snapping a four-game win streak.

Blanco has been sent back to Houston to be evaluated after reporting right elbow soreness Monday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports. Blanco had been scheduled to start this weekend against the Mariners,