The Seattle Mariners are on the brink of doing something historic. The franchise currently holds the record for the longest active playoff drought in American sports. At first, it seemed like they were going to extend that streak this season. However, thanks to star rookie Julio Rodriguez' godly hitting, the Mariners are close to making the playoffs for the first time since 2001.

Unfortunately, the Mariners may have just been dealt a nasty blow to their playoff chances. During the eighth inning of the their matchup against the Houston Astros, Julio Rodriguez was hit by a pitch from the pitcher. Rodriguez was in clear agony, and he was taken out of the game immediately after.

After the game, Mariners manager Scott Servais gave a brutal update on Julio Rodriguez' injury. According to the manager, the star hitter struggled to hold the bat with his injured hand after the game. That's… not a good sign.

An X-ray test the next morning will reveal the full extent of Rodriguez' injury. This injury is just the latest in the Mariners' long list of unfortunate events that have made their quest for a playoff spot near-impossible. Depending on the severity of the injury, Rodriguez could miss significant time as the playoff race heats up.

The Mariners are in no position to feel comfortable of their playoff spot. Sitting 11 games behind the Astros, Seattle's best shot at getting to the playoffs is by securing a Wild Card spot. Hopefully, the team can survive the potential absence of Rodriguez. Thankfully, they did make a significant move in bolstering their starting rotation.