SEATTLE -- Julio Rodríguez did something on Wednesday afternoon that has become increasingly infrequent within a frustrating season to the point where the feat has reached rare territory.

He homered.

With one big swing in the fifth inning, Rodr¨ªguez helped lift Seattle to a 6-2 victory over Tampa Bay at T-Mobile Park. With it, he also showed what the Mariners have been missing for most of the year -- and just how different the dynamic of their entire lineup can be if their most talented player can tap into more power down the stretch.

¡°Once you are working with something and then you see it play out in the game, it makes you feel really good,¡± Rodr¨ªguez said of recent behind-the-scenes adjustments, ¡°because it shows you that you¡¯re kind of on the right track. And just it kind of motivates you to continue to work at it.¡±

Rodr¨ªguez¡¯s two-run blast -- which followed a two-run shot in the same inning from Victor Robles -- was his first since July 20, one day before he suffered a high right ankle sprain that sidelined him for three weeks.

Whether he¡¯ll say it or not, there¡¯s likely been a correlation between Rodr¨ªguez¡¯s lack of production in 15 games since returning from the injured list and lingering pain in the area that prevented him from returning to center field until Friday.

Rodr¨ªguez entered Wednesday¡¯s three-game finale vs. the Rays -- which yielded the Mariners¡¯ second straight series win -- with a .222 slugging percentage and just three RBIs since his return. Yet, even including his hot streak in July before the injury, Rodr¨ªguez hasn¡¯t come close to matching the elite power he flashed during his electric first two seasons.

Rodr¨ªguez¡¯s homer on Wednesday was only his 12th in 2024, which brought his slugging percentage to .362. Last season, when he became just the 44th player in AL/NL history with a 30-30 season, it was .485. In his American League Rookie of the Year Award-winning season, it was .509.

There¡¯s no coincidence between Rodr¨ªguez¡¯s power drought for most of this season and the Mariners¡¯ team-wide offensive struggles. They built their roster centered on Rodr¨ªguez being a top-end run producer.

¡°I had to add a lot of different things [to my routine] to be able to be on the field,¡± Rodr¨ªguez said. ¡°And I feel like it can get tough, obviously, to find a rhythm when you don't know sometimes how the day is going to go because of the other extra things that you have to do. But at the same time, that's part of it. I'm sure that I'm not the only one dealing with things.¡±

The Mariners (68-66) have mostly been unable to overcome an MLB-worst 27.8% strikeout rate because they¡¯ve collectively been hamstrung by a team-wide slugging percentage of .364, which is ahead of only the White Sox (.344).

In August, it¡¯s been 30th of 30, at .336 -- even with Wednesday¡¯s homers from Rodr¨ªguez, Robles and Randy Arozarena, who went yard with a Statcast-projected 430-foot blast in the eighth. For context, the Mariners ranked 16th in MLB from 2022-23 with a .401 slugging percentage.

Teams can typically overcome strikeout struggles with power, but it becomes far more difficult when they must overcome issues relating to both. The fact that Seattle advanced to 13-0 when homering at least three times and an MLB-best 43-4 when plating at least five runs says as much. Five of their runs on Wednesday were via homers.

Aside from his long ball -- which was in a full count with two outs and against a middle-in cutter from Rays reliever Tyler Alexander -- Rodr¨ªguez opened his game with a 105.2 mph pull-side single, showing a much more athletic setup than of late.

On this homestand, Rodr¨ªguez flashed the tendencies of falling over and chasing out-of-zone pitches much more. It¡¯s led to pointed conversations with new hitting coach and franchise icon Edgar Martinez.

¡°Really helpful,¡± Rodr¨ªguez said. ¡°I feel like he has so much experience as a hitter. Obviously, like one of the best to ever do it -- a Hall of Famer and everything. He's somebody I respect a lot. And he just has a lot of good pointers. And I'm happy that, obviously, I listen, but I'm happy that he's around.¡±

For good measure, Rodr¨ªguez also had a diving catch while running in during the fourth, making Wednesday one of his more well-rounded performances since the injury.

And for the Mariners sake, they hope it¡¯s the first of many in this critical, final stretch.