It may always be raining in Seattle, but thanks to Mariners superstar Julio Rodriguez, the city was hit with an ice storm this week. The 2022 Rookie of the Year and two-time Silver Slugger delivered a hefty injection of drip when he entered the league a couple of years back, the sort of sauce the Mariners haven’t seen since the days of Ken Griffey Jr. Rodriguez has an undeniable swagger, reveling in the spotlight like a true superstar and often surrounding himself with athletes and performers who shine just as bright (during the offseason he palled around with Kevin Durant, Bad Bunny, Michael Rubin, and Paolo Banchero). He’s also got one of the best wardrobes in the sport. J-Rod regularly hits stadium tunnel walks in Dior jackets, Fear of God kicks, and a whole lot of Adidas—he’s one of the biggest stars signed to the Stripes’ baseball division.
For the M’s marquee matchup against the juggernaut New York Yankees this week, the brand dripped out their guy in appropriate fashion—you can’t have your superstar taking at-bats at Yankee Stadium in any old cleats, after all. Rodriguez laced up—or, in this case, zipped—a unique pair of custom Adidas Adizero Impact cleats made in collaboration with Swarovski. The shoe itself is a stunner even without the Swarovski touch, a sleek silhouette featuring multiple shades of purple and lavender. But if you thought J-Rod’s star was shining extra bright during the Yankees series, your eyes aren’t deceiving you—each shoe came dripped out in hundreds of Swarovski crystals. The stones covered the forefoot, signature adidas stripes, heel tab, and zipper lining of the cleats, bringing a larger-than-life vibe only appropriate for a larger-than-life player.
The Mariners ultimately struggled against the Yankees, who clinched their playoff berth with their win over the M’s in the final game of the series. And Rodriguez’s first half of the season certainly didn’t live up to the standard he set in Years One and Two. Still, as of late he’s started to turn it around, and he managed to make Mariners history the first night he donned the Swarovski-studded sneakers. J-Rod managed four hits that night for the 12th time in his career, tying Griffey Jr.’s record for the 2nd most 4-hit games before the age of 24 (if he can surpass Alex Rodriguez’s 14 he’ll hold the sole franchise record). Baseball seasons are long and the dog days get to the best of them. Small victories matter as much as the big ones. Sometimes all it takes is a cool pair of shoes and a good night at the plate to turn the vibes around.
Forty-four pairs of the Adizero Impact with Swarovski Crystals were released to the public this week for $440 a pop. They sold out quickly, but you can currently find the shoe on StockX for roughly the price of a down payment on a nice car.
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