Julio Rodríguez denies killing a pigeon during a game against the Yankees

Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodríguez addressed claims regarding a pigeon incident that allegedly occurred at Yankee Stadium. A viral video shared by comic Jordan Jensen suggested that a ball thrown by Rodríguez into the stands resulted in the death of a bird. Rodríguez clarified that while a ball did strike a pigeon during a day game, the animal was only concussed rather than killed. Mariners bullpen catcher Justin Novak corroborated this account, noting that the grounds crew moved the bird to a shaded area within the bullpen to recover. While the bird's status sparked debate among fans, team personnel stated it survived the encounter. Both Rodríguez and the bullpen staff confirmed that spectators chanted at the outfielder following the incident, with fans shouting labels like pigeon killer throughout the remainder of the contest.

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