Julio Augustus led the M’s towards October, but September is swinging his MVP case

Of the many gambles the Seattle Mariners have made in their efforts to “step back” and rebuild following the failed contention of the 2010s, the biggest bet has worked out the best: Julio Rodríguez is a superstar. If you want a single way of summarizing the 22-year-old’s brilliance, it wouldn’t hurt to look at who else in big league history has recorded 11 wins above replacement in their first two years as a big leaguer. It’s a short list.

That list, if you’re curious, goes Hall of Famer, likely HoF fringe if not for WW II, HoF, HoF, longtime All-Star, HoF, future HoF, longtime All-Star, longtime All-Star, HoF, HoF, Julio, future HoF, HoF, future HoF.