The Seattle Mariners have been the hottest team in Major League Baseball over the past two months. Their season finally came full circle on Sunday after their sweep-clinching win over the Kansas City Royals.

With a corresponding Texas Rangers loss, the Mariners are in sole possession of first place in the AL West for the first time in 2023. Julio Rodriguez says the city and team are all a part of this scorching hot run and he's looking forward to seeing it continue.

“It's unbelievable,” Rodríguez said, via Daniel Kramer. “It's something that these fans deserve. This whole organization, we've all been working. And just to see that and to see how the city's embracing us and our success right now, the way they're supporting us, it's pretty cool. I just hope that everybody keeps on showing up and keeps on bringing the energy because at the end of the day, we are all in this together.”

The Mariners haven’t been in first place this late in the season since 2003. That may not come as a shock for a team that had a 20-year playoff drought, but it's still an achievement nonetheless.

Rodriguez has been the star man that everyone expects him to be for Seattle. He has a 1.018 OPS since the All-Star break and is the frontrunner for AL Player of the Month for August. He hit a two-run home run on Sunday that ended up being the game-winner.

The Mariners have 32 games left and are now the slight favorites to win the AL West. It's been a long time since Seattle got to celebrate a division title. That could change in five weeks.