AL DIVISION SERIES: TIGERS VS MARINERS

October 5, 2025

Julio Rodríguez

T-Mobile Park

Seattle Mariners

Pregame 2 Press Conference

Q. Julio, what can you take away from your -- the previous two games against Skubal and maybe some of the tweaks or adjustments that you guys can make against him today?

JULIO RODRIGUEZ: Well, I guess we all know that Skubal is probably the best pitcher in the league right now, so obviously, like, he's really good, but I feel like we had done fairly well in the past, like, two times without facing.

But I know he's going to come out and compete, and I feel like we've got to bring that same mentality, compete, respecting him and kind of do our best, play our game and stick to swinging our pitches.

And I feel like at the end of the game, I feel like the results are going to be there.

Q. Cal mentioned that maybe you guys got a little big and maybe a little out of the approach last night. Just how do you get back into the identity of what you guys do at your best offensively today?

JULIO RODRIGUEZ: Just kind of how I said, you know, like, just sticking to our approach, sticking to swinging at our pitches. And I feel like we're going to be in a good spot if we do that. I feel like we know that we're a really good team, that we can also do damage quick against anybody, and I feel like staying within ourself is going to be huge moving forward in this postseason.

Q. What are the challenges of hitting in this park? I mean, you can hit home runs here. You hit one last night. But a lot of fly balls get caught. What are some of the unique challenges to hitting here?

JULIO RODRIGUEZ: At least personally for me, like, I don't really see, like, a challenge like that, you know? I feel like, you know, like, yeah, some fly balls get caught on the wall or things like that, but that's not something that you can beat yourself up. It's out of your control.

You put a good swing, that's in your control. You put a good swing if you got a good pitch, and I feel like that's all that you can control. If it's in the park, a fly ball to the track, all of those things, those are things that are outside of your control.

Yeah. That's how I see. I don't really see like a challenge like that.

Q. Julio, the play at second where you're running into Baez yesterday, do you think about maybe stopping to delay the tag, or is there too much happening in the moment to think like that?

JULIO RODRIGUEZ: Honestly, in that play, once we hit the ground ball, I didn't really think that that was going to be happening, when they caught the ball right there. And I was trying to go as hard as I could to get to the bases as fast as I could. And once I looped over to him, it was just right there.

Yeah, maybe if I stopped, keep a guy first and third, I could delay a little bit, but at that point I was just trying to go as fast as I can to get to the base.

Q. After last night's game, what was Dan Wilson's message to the team?

JULIO RODRIGUEZ: Huh?

Q. After the game yesterday, what was Dan Wilson's message to the team?

JULIO RODRIGUEZ: I mean, we didn't really talk. There isn't nothing to talk about. You know, I feel like we know we got beat, and we also know that we've got to show up and play a baseball game today. I feel like there's nothing really to talk about.

Q. Julio, seeing what Cal's been able to do this season -- first of all, how much have you enjoyed being alongside that? And are there things or tendencies that you've picked up from him as the years have gone on?

JULIO RODRIGUEZ: I mean, there's a lot of things that you can pick up from the guy. He's been amazing this year, not just like hitting the home runs, all the highlights and all the things. But his consistency, his work ethic, his preparation, his mindset that he brings to every single game.

And I feel like that's something that I really try to get from him too. I like to do things kind of my own way, things that I learned how to do. But having, like, a good example like him on a daily basis is really positive, not just for me, but for the whole team too.

Q. Julio, you cut your strikeout rate down significantly this season. You expand less. How have you grown and matured as a hitter this year specifically?

JULIO RODRIGUEZ: I feel like I'm understanding myself a little bit more, not really trying to do too much. I feel like I'm a strong guy that if I put a good swing on the ball, it's going to go out anywhere.

I feel like being more comfortable with that and kind of filling my own shoes and the type of hitter that I am. I like driving the ball to all the fields. I like taking my hits to where I can too.

I also like taking my shots, but I feel like just being more comfortable to just, you know, use my different clubs, take my different swings when I need to.

Q. Is this the identity you want, your hitting identity? Is this who you want to be, the guy we're seeing now, what you just described? Do you think this is who you are moving forward in a sustainable way? Because in past years you've always been kind of looking for things to add, but do you think that this is who you are moving forward and how this is going to be?

JULIO RODRIGUEZ: I would say yeah. I would say yeah. You know, like, as a baseball player, you're always going to have to evolve. You're always going to have to keep up with the game and make adjustments.

But I feel like for me as a hitter, since I was a kid, I've never thought of myself as a big power hitter like that. But I always thought I could drive the ball from gap to gap. But also taking my hits and taking my shots. I'm very comfortable being that way.

Q. Julio, throughout the course of this season, you have highs and lows. This team has hit some rough spots even in the last month, where it felt like you guys' backs were against the wall, and you guys have always responded. What is it about the team and the nature of it where you believe you guys are going to respond to all the challenges moving forward?

JULIO RODRIGUEZ: I just feel like it doesn't matter how tough we get. I feel like as a group, I feel like we've got each other's back. We stay tight with each other, and I just feel like there is no, like, complaining, you know? We always take it as baseball, and we know deep down that we're a really good team.

Regardless of what's happening around us, regardless of the result of the game, I feel like that's something that have never changed, and I feel like that's why we have been able to bounce back from those tough spots.

And, you know, like I said, we have done it already, so being back against the wall, whatever, I just feel like it's one game at a time, and that's kind of how we approach it.

Q. Julio, what have you learned about when you take your shots and when you take your hits?

JULIO RODRIGUEZ: I feel like it's a game, you know? I feel like listening to the game. I feel like that's something that I've been paying more and more attention. The game's going to tell you what you need to do, like when -- like when is a good time to take your shot, when is a good call, the situation of the game, where the runners are at, all those little situations. I feel like it always tells you what you need to do.

Sometimes I'm not even trying to take my shot, and it went out. So it's part of it too.

Q. Last night as an example?

JULIO RODRIGUEZ: Yeah. Yeah. I still don't know how I hit that one out, but it was fun.