What Happened To Julio Rodriguez? (Swing Analysis)

My opinion on Julio Rodriguez's swing right now and what I would like to see him change, But just my Opinion!

[@gamefacesports6704]

He also has issues with his approach, but this is just my opinion on the physical side! I think the most undeniable thing at this point is that he is late on everything. Reasons could be different but this is just what I think! I read every comment, Let me know what you think!

[@TwitchingHour]

I agree with you and I noticed a couple of things that may contribute. In his 2024 swing Julio keeps his hips more closed and is also more upright than 2023. If the hips are closed then his hands actually have to travel further to get in front of his body. Making him late. Making him push. I think this is his lateness issue as much as the additional hand movement. Both are mechanically longer to complete. By not opening his hips he can’t transfer all that leg power through his torso. Take a look at his stance from the mound view. You’ll see he closed his stance this year. He brought his front foot closer to the plate. I think he can handle one of these bad mechanics but not both the hands and hips. The more upright angle of the 2024 swing forces the bat to travel more flatly through the zone, which should be okay for contact, but I think he knows he’s late and he’s rushing that right hand which comes over the top and causes the bat to suddenly rise and come over the top of the ball.

[@johndoh2243]

Really interesting video! I took a look at some video of his homers against Washington this year, and he looked incredibly pushy like he wasn’t using his body and instead was pushing the hands to the ball (which would be why his power numbers are so down). In this video, there’s a ton of hand movement but it looks like he’s using his body more and the hands are trailing behind. Might be more powerful but also he’s missing his barrel accuracy. Needs to find the middle ground like old Julio!

[@EnjoyerofMiserableMarinersBsbl]

There are tons of issues with his swing looking at these comparisons. -This year his front elbow is flying open which completely changing the path of his bat -His stride is much wider this year, which is putting him out in front of everything, leaving only his hands to hit the ball -As a result of the larger stride, his head is moving too much -His hands last year started much higher, requiring less work and allowing him to keep his bat in the zone longer. This year his hands start low and then move back, taking entirely too much time to get to the ball.

[@PintSizeAnalyze]

Great video and I appreciate the breakdown, but the 1st clip was from 2022, and the 2nd clip was from 2023. It would be interesting to me see an actual 2024 clip of his swing.

[@tankwipe]

Last year (2023) Julio had a good month and a half when he went on a tear. The first two months of last season he was barely average and he didn't end the season well.

[@bryce2911]

his motion is all screwed up, too. his weight is already on his front half before the barrel of the bat is even past his back knee. i think his hands being fast is compensating for his motion/weight transfer being totally out of wack, which is resulting in the excessive ground balls we're seeing, and his inability to hit inside pitches. if you look at 7:10, where upton's hands are, are where julios hands should be, but they're a good 6+ inches behind the rest of his motion. he has fast hands but they're starting too late

[@gamefacesports6704]

100% agree with you! His weight transfer and just overall timing and starting his swing so late is rough to see. Looking at this again you’re definitely right

[@condlewis]

any insight why this hasn't been fixed or showing signs of being fixed so far this season? is it just cause they dont want to change his swing mid-season and nothing else?

[@stevenlindberg8347]

I think the teams approach is completely trash they play this game of trying to run up pitch count by watching a lot of pitches and teams know it. So they get good pitches to hit but don't swing early and then theyvare behind in the count and strikeout cause no one likes to hit behind in the count. That's why they strikeout so many times in the first couple innings of the game and they never have a game where they just go up to the plate and focus on not striking out. If ya want to get their starter out of the game I say they should do it the real way by getting hits and runs but they would rather just be soft and passive and play the strikeout game

[@gamefacesports6704]

@@stevenlindberg8347 absolutely true that they have an approach issue. 100%. And it’s hard to place a direct finger on someone they already fired one guy

[@stevenlindberg8347]

Mariners legend Alex bregman had me laughing on that one

[@gamefacesports6704]

@@stevenlindberg8347 🤣

[@PNW_STEFF]

He needs to pick a spot and a pitch and dont swing unless it's that pitch in the area you are looking it's not rocket science

[@zimmey1679]

There is an absolute disconnect between his hands and his base. I don’t care where his hands because his weight distribution is so out of sink that his hands have no choice but to lag behind. Of course that’s just looking at that one swing. That swing shows someone who is 100% mechanically lost. And like a golf swing, once those mechanics get into your head, you tend to get worse.

[@JP1AO]

It looks to me that his top half is out of time with his lower half. That's why he is so out of balance at the end. Last year he didn't lose his balance after the swing. But I'm just an armchair fan. We all know something is off.

[@diggitydog412]

so bizarre of all the hitters you pull Justin Upton.

[@gamefacesports6704]

When I was just sitting and thinking about who came to mind for short compact swings with power for some reason he was the first guy I remembered watching growing up with a swing like that🤣

[@mike-0451]

He’s not HLP

[@joecha9746]

What happened to Julio? The Mariners jumped the gun and gave him a huge contract waaayyy too soon. Why go hard when you already got paid.

[@mikevbushy]

It’s not effort…this swing analysis is great. His timing is bad…last year he was not getting high heat and this year he is. He’s trying to swing earlier but keep his mechanics but now he’s guessing at pitches and chasing too much…he needs to change his swing and be quicker but he either can’t or won’t do that right now…not sure why

[@diggitydog412]

probably the most overrated player in the game right now. Doesn't seem to understand how pitchers are going to pitch to him even though they have pitched him the same way all year. Fastball up, fastball in and slider away. Yet he gets himself out over and over.