In something of an upset, the newcomer Victor Rodriguez burst on the scene midseason and ended 2017 as the highest cumulative rated player from Realio’s Ratings. Over the course of his 11 appearances, Rodriguez earned a clean 7.00 rating and was a consistent top performer as he acclimated to Seattle and MLS. Similar to Lodeiro before him, he arrived onto the team and immediately started earning above-league-average grades—until the cup final. Who knows, V-Rod could even increase his effectiveness with a full offseason and time to train with a lineup that is relatively unchanged heading into 2018.
The first thing I wrote about him was on August 26:
“What we can expect is a highly technical, quick-thinking player who should seamlessly integrate with Nico and Clint’s intelligent play.