Mariners' Julio Rodriguez: Makes pinch-hit appearance Sunday

Rodriguez (quadriceps) entered Sunday's extra-inning loss to the Blue Jays as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning and was hit by a pitch in his one plate appearance.

Rodriguez was out of the starting nine after being removed early from Saturday's game against Toronto with the quadriceps injury, but a subsequent MRI came back with "nothing out of the ordinary," per MLB.com. As had been announced by manager Scott Servais before Sunday's contest after Rodriguez completed some pregame running drills, the outfielder was healthy enough to take an at-bat. However, Servais immediately substituted Dylan Moore for Rodriguez on the basepaths once the latter was plunked, and Rodriguez was subsequently formally ejected in the ninth inning for shouting from the dugout after a called third strike on Mitch Garver. With the benefit of a team off day Monday, Rodriguez could be healthy enough to return to the lineup for Tuesday's series opener against the Padres.