93RD MLB ALL-STAR GAME

July 11, 2023

Julio Rodríguez

T-Mobile Park

American League

Press Conference

National League - 3, American League - 2

THE MODERATOR: Who has the first question for Julio?

Q. We knew coming into this that it was probably going to be a rowdy environment but just going through all the emotions of today, can you walk us through what it's like to play in front of your home crowd like that?

JULIO RODRÍGUEZ: Oh, my God, it was unbelievable. That was an unbelievable feeling. I would say we have had the playoff games, all that, but there was just something different of having like an event-based crowd kind of to say like that.

It was just unbelievable to have all the stars here and the energy that the fans brought, like it was unbelievable what they did. Seattle definitely showed out.

Q. What was your thoughts there going up to the plate with a chance to win it there in the 9th inning?

JULIO RODRÍGUEZ: Oh, definitely I was trying to win it, honestly. But it was given the situation that I had to pass the baton. Once I saw the guy got just kind of getting going to first, my thought was just get a good pitch to drive and just let's try to win this game. But I had to pass the baton.

Q. What did you think of the crowd's Ohtani chants and were you able to maybe recruit him a little bit on your own during these couple days?

JULIO RODRÍGUEZ: Oh, I did talk to him a little bit but nothing specific about him coming to Seattle, just asked him a couple questions.

But that was cool. That was a pretty interesting thing to see how the whole city came. Whenever they combine themselves, they can do something pretty amazing. I thought it was pretty cool that what they did whenever they came together and do that.

Q. What did you ask Shohei?

JULIO RODRÍGUEZ: Secrets. Can't know everything in life (laughing.)

Q. You've had some big at-bats in this ballpark in the year and a half or so, but to be up there at the end of this game what did it mean to you?

JULIO RODRÍGUEZ: It definitely meant the world. It meant the world just kind of having the opportunity to kind of step on the plate again with a chance to do something special. The crowd knew, everybody kind of felt it in the building, and it was pretty surreal the energy that they were sending down.

THE MODERATOR: All right. Thank you, Julio.

JULIO RODRÍGUEZ: Thank you, guys. You guys definitely did a great job too. Everybody.