Julio Rodriguez Fools Stadium With Robbery Of Tatis Home Run, Fernando Responds

Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez is one of the most electric players in the game today.

The 22-year-old has already won a Rookie of the Year Award, a Silver Slugger Award, and has been a two-time All-Star.

Someday soon, Rodriguez might be adding a Gold Glove Award to his resume as he continues to improve in center field.

One example of his growing prowess out there took place Tuesday night in the Mariners game against the San Diego Padres.

In the top of the 4th inning, Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a ball 401 feet to straightaway center.

Tatis, expecting a home run, began his trot around the bases as Julio Rodriguez raced to the wall in an attempt to rob him.

Leaping up with his glove extended it appeared to everyone watching that Rodriguez had failed to snag the ball after coming down with a dejected look on his face.

Unfortunately for Tatis, as he was about to reach third base, Julio busted out in a grin and showed the stadium that the ball had actually nestled in his glove for the out.

Naturally, because some people just want to see the world burn and are upset by literally everything, there were naysayers on Twitter saying Rodriguez was showing up Tatisor grandstanding over what they perceived to be a “routine” play.

However, one of the people who was not mad about Julio Rodriguez’s acting was Fernando Tatis.

“I knew he caught it. I know him very well,” he said after the game. “But, [shoot]. … I just knew he was going to try to do something like that, but I saw it go into his glove. Yeah, he got everybody.”

If Tatis were upset, one couldn’t really blame him. Not for the acting show, but for having a home run robbed for the second time in less than a week.

Interestingly, Rodriguez recently joined Fernando Tatis Jr. as the two players to reach 40 home runs and 40 steals in their careers the fastest.