Add “can’t keep track of outs” to Julio Rodriguez’s box score on Tuesday.
With the Mariners firmly being embarrassed by the Brewers in an eventual 22-0 loss, it was their star center fielder who made matters go from bad to worse during the bottom of the eighth inning.
With the bases loaded and position player Leo Rivas on the mound with one out, Rodriguez lost count of the outs as Christian Yelich hit a line drive right to him in what should have just been a sacrifice fly.
Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez is shown after catching a sacrifice fly by Milwaukee Brewers designated hitter Christian Yelich and tossing the ball into the stands for a fielding error. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Rodriguez turned to the crowd and tossed the ball into the stands, creating a dead ball and allowing the two remaining base runners to move up two bases.
Jonathan Ornelas came around to score on the error while William Contreras moved from first to third base.
Contreras would score on the very next pitch as Luis Lara blooped a single to center for the last run of 22 scored by Milwaukee.
After the game, Yelich spoke on Rodriguez’s gaffe.
“You obviously never want to be the guy that does that,” Yelich said. “But it’s a long game, you’re on defense for a while, and it was kind of chaos there in the last inning with the lineup turning over and all the action going. It just happens sometimes. You lose track of the outs.”
Julio Rodriguez launches the ball into the stands with one out in the eighth inning. Mariners.TV
Tuesday’s historically awful loss to the Brewers is one of the worst we’ve seen in a while.
It’s the biggest margin of defeat in a major league game since 2023, when the Blue Jays defeated the Red Sox 28-5.
Milwaukee also handed the Mariners their worst defeat in franchise history, as they were previously upended 21-1 by the sign-stealing Astros squad 21-1 in 2019.
As for the shutout, 22-0 is tied for the largest margin shutout in MLB history since 1887, when the Philadelphia Quakers beat the Indianapolis Hoosiers, 24-0.
This 22-0 score has happened twice since then: 1975, when the Pirates smashed the Cubs, and 2004, when the then-Cleveland Indians embarrassed the Yankees 22-0.
Julio Rodriguez of the Mariners is seen during a game where the team was losing 19-0. @DustyBakerTV/X
“Obviously, not how we wanted to start this game,” manager Dan Wilson said postgame after the historic defeat. “It just got out of hand. They put up a lot of runs tonight, and we were quiet offensively. It’s a tough one to even think about.”
Even in a bad American League, the Mariners find themselves three games back of a playoff spot with a 59-67 record.
