Rodriguez’s Mental Lapse in Center Field Epitomizes Mariners’ Historic 22-0 Defeat to Brewers

Seattle is investing $18 million in Julio Rodriguez this season to patrol center field, making basic awareness of the inning count a reasonable expectation. The 25-year-old cost himself and the Mariners significant embarrassment Tuesday night against the Milwaukee Brewers when he lost track of the outs during a critical moment in the contest.

Rodriguez’s mental miscue ultimately had minimal impact on the result, given that the Mariners trailed by such a wide margin that the error could not have affected the outcome. Nevertheless, the blunder represented a highly mortifying lapse for the three-time All-Star and his organization.

In the eighth inning with Milwaukee leading 19-0, Christian Yelich launched a routine fly ball that Rodriguez caught in center field. Assuming he had recorded the third out, Rodriguez executed what should have been a standard gesture by throwing the ball toward spectators beyond the outfield wall. The critical problem: the catch represented only the second out of the inning.

With runners on base during the play, Milwaukee scored two runs when Rodriguez’s premature throw allowed a runner to tag up from third and another to advance from second to home plate. Baseball rules permit all baserunners to advance two bases in such circumstances.

The Mariners absorbed the worst loss in franchise history, falling 22-0 to the Brewers on Tuesday evening. Seattle entered the eighth inning down 13-0 before surrendering nine runs in that frame alone, transforming the contest into a historic rout.

Third baseman Leo Rivas took the mound as an emergency pitcher during the eighth inning and surrendered nine hits and nine runs in his sole appearance. Rodriguez went hitless in four at-bats with two strikeouts, capping a night both he and his teammates would prefer to forget quickly.