Have you ever wondered what it takes for an All-Star center fielder to keep his body in shape for a 162-game season?
Now you can get an inside look at just that, following the Mariners’ Julio Rodríguez and the Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong as they rest and recover. Chasing 162 fueled by Gatorade will showcase various touchpoints through the superstars’ 2026 seasons.
The first episode in the series, which was released on Thursday, focuses on the duo’s mindsets and approaches during the offseason.
“You can’t really be playing center field night in and night out if you’re not well-prepared,” Rodríguez said.
“The goal for me is being available for 162, putting my body in the best place to go do that,” Crow-Armstrong said. “Playing a premier position like center field, that’s a part of the job. I think there comes some responsibility with being a baseball player and putting your body in a position to play 162.”
For PCA and J-Rod, hydration may be the most important piece of their daily recovery. Like when Crow-Armstrong plays a double-header in the middle of July and loses, say, seven pounds in the first game -- he has to fight to rehydrate for the second contest.
The 24-year-old learned he sweats more than most via a team hydration test, maybe because he wears long sleeves during every game. He loves having Gatorlyte available around team facilities all the time and added that Lemon Lime is his favorite Gatorade flavor.
“I realized that hydration was big when I’d wake up in the morning feeling better after properly hydrating myself,” Crow-Armstrong said.
Rodríguez is big on electrolytes, with a classic red -- aka Fruit Punch -- Gatorade as his favorite way to recover. He said he’s loved it since he was a kid.
“I remember this trainer really told me about hydration, and he said, ‘It helps you clean up your system,’” Rodríguez said. “Whenever he told me that, it kind of changed my perspective about hydration.”
Mentally recovering is also an important part of Chasing 162. Crow-Armstrong said he leans on his veteran teammates during long stretches through the season.
Off the field, he finds his biggest mental recovery in conversations with his parents. They were both professional actors and understand the toll of being in the spotlight. His dad also became an English teacher, meaning books were always around PCA’s life growing up.
The Gold Glover has maintained that practice, preferring to read before bed at night rather than scroll on his phone.
“My eyes matter in my job, and I don’t want to be putting too much pressure on my eyes when I gotta go face 100 [mph pitches] anyways,” Crow-Armstrong said. “Reading’s big, for sure.”
Crow-Armstrong’s offseason regimen focused heavily on hip and shoulder mobility. Rodríguez focused on his strength and speed, specifically how he can better maximize his 6-foot-4, 228-pound frame.
Both players made the All-Star Game in 2025 and completed excellent campaigns with at least 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases, helping their respective teams reach the postseason.
Staying on track with their recovery is the best way to reach those goals again, just as Rodríguez reminds himself with one of his favorite sayings:
“Talent gets you there, but preparation and work ethic maintains you there.”