Despite a win over their division rivals on Saturday night, Seattle Mariners fans were not in the mood for celebration. During the eighth inning of their win against the Astros, star rookie Julio Rodriguez was hit by a nasty pitch. Rodriguez was forced to leave the game, as fans were left hoping for the best.

Thankfully, the Mariners' playoff dreams are still alive and well after the recent Julio Rodriguez injury update. General manager Jerry DiPoto announced that Rodriguez' X-rays came back negative. That's great news for the team, who were fearing a potential fracture after that 97 mph sinker to his hand. (via Jim Bowden)

A similar hand injury to a star player had Mariners fans fearing the worst. Similar to Rodriguez, Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper was hit by a fastball to his hand a few months ago. Harper would eventually be taken out of the roster for six to eight weeks due to a fractured hand.

Thankfully, the Mariners avoided the worst-case scenario with Julio Rodriguez. It's still possible that the star outfielder will miss time, but he's unlikely to miss a good chunk of the home stretch of the season. Considering that the team is in the midst of a historic playoff push, that's the best possible outcome for them.

Rodriguez has been the face of the Mariners' sudden resurgence this season. The star outfielder has been the team's best hitter so far, dropping bombs on their opponents night in and night out. He's the main reason why Seattle is on the brink of breaking their historic playoff drought this season.