Mariners notebook: Julio Rodriguez ‘unlikely’ to return for ESPN’s ‘Sunday Night Baseball’

SEATTLE – For the first time in 20 years, MLB’s most coveted telecast – ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball” – is returning to Seattle this weekend to broadcast the Mariners’ series finale against the New York Mets.

The Mariners’ most marketable star, however, probably won’t return to the lineup by then.

Center fielder Julio Rodriguez tested out his high ankle sprain again Thursday afternoon during a pregame workout on the field at T-Mobile Park, and he appeared to be running more freely than he did during a similar workout Wednesday.

Given where the Mariners are in the AL West standings – a half-game back of Houston entering Thursday – and what Rodriguez means to the team, there is a sense of urgency to get him back in the lineup.

Rodriguez is pushing to return as soon as possible, according to team sources, and the Mariners have not ruled out any potential timeline to activate him off the injured list.

High ankle sprains, though, are notoriously challenging, and it is “unlikely” Rodriguez will be available for the Mets series this weekend, a team source said.

It’s possible Rodriguez returns next week during an early leg of the Mariners’ nine-game, nine-day road trip through Detroit, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles (to play the Dodgers).

No decision has been made on whether Rodriguez will require a rehab assignment before he’s activated.

When he does return to the lineup, he’s expected to be the DH for the first handful of games, at least.

Victor Robles has been an excellent fill-in for Rodriguez over the past two-plus weeks, both as a defender in center field and at the plate.

On Wednesday, Rodriguez went through a full round of hitting in the batting cage on the field.

On Thursday, Rodriguez sat on top of the Mariners dugout a couple of hours before first pitch and, microphone in hand, conducted a Q&A with some young fans.

He returned to the field and jogged through a few short fly-ball routes with outfield coach Kristopher Negrón. He then ran the bases under the watchful eye of Rob Scheidegger, the team’s VP of High Performance, and assistant strength coach Connor Hughes.

Rodriguez was still running with a notable limp.

He was placed on the IL on July 23, two days after crashing into the wall in center field. As he tried to make the catch, the cleats on his right foot got stuck in the wall’s padding, twisting his ankle as he fell onto the warning track.

On Friday, the Mets will make a rare appearance in Seattle for a pivotal weekend series. Both teams are jockeying for playoff position, with the Mets entering Thursday a half-game ahead of Atlanta for the third and final NL wild-card spot.

ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball” returns to Seattle for the first time since June 6, 2004, when the Mariners scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning for a 5-4 walkoff over the Chicago White Sox.

First pitch at T-Mobile Park is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. Sunday. The Mariners’ Luis Castillo is in line to start opposite Mets right-hander Luis Severino.

Canzone activated; Hernandez DFA’d

Out for the past month, Dominic Canzone (right adductor strain) was activated from the injured list Thursday after a strong rehab outing with Triple-A Tacoma over the past week.

The 26-year-old outfielder was 9 for 24 (.375 average) with three homers and a 1.192 OPS in six games with the Rainiers during his rehab assignment.

Acquired in the Paul Sewald trade with Arizona last summer, Canzone has “big-time power potential,” as manager Scott Servais said Thursday, but he hasn’t unleashed it with any consistency yet.

Canzone, a left-handed hitter, has appeared in 54 games with the Mariners this season, posting a .211/.289/.394 (.684 OPS) with seven homers and a wRC+ of 93 (the average is 100).

He will again get regular at-bats against right-handed pitchers.

“He’s healthy. He feels good. And we’re anxious to get him back out there,” Servais said.

Veteran utility player Jason Vosler was optioned back to Tacoma to make room for Canzone.

In other roster moves, the Mariners designated reliever Jonathan Hernandez for assignment one day after he allowed three runs in the ninth inning in a 6-2 loss to Detroit.

Hernandez made three relief appearances in his six days with the Mariners, who had claimed him off waivers from the Rangers last Friday.

Right-hander Eduard Bazardo was recalled from Tacoma to take Hernandez’s spot.