The Seattle Mariners, who are desperate for offense and a spark, have acquired All-Star outfielder Randy Arozarena from the Tampa Bay Rays, according to an announcement made Thursday night.
A player who will be announced later, along with two lower-level minor leaguers—right-hander Brody Hopkins and outfielder Aidan Smith—will be sent to the Rays in the transaction.
With a batting line of.211/.318/.394, 15 home runs, and 16 stolen bases in 100 games, Arozarena is currently experiencing a bad year. His dynamic ability and tendency to elevate his performance on the biggest stages, most notably during the 2020 American League Championship Series and the 2023 World Baseball Classic, made him possibly the most desired outfielder in this year’s trade market.
After losing eight of their last nine games and seeing a once-large lead in the American League West evaporate, the Mariners are hopeful that Arozarena will shock their club. Injuries to standout center fielder Julio Rodriguez (sprained ankle) and cornerstone shortstop J.P. Crawford (fractured pinkie finger) have put the Mariners, who had a 10-game lead on June 18, one game behind the advancing Houston Astros.
Among big league teams, the Mariners’.660 OPS is the third-worst.
“Randy is a dynamic, high-energy all-around player who has excelled in the biggest moments on the biggest stages,” said Justin Hollander, general manager of the Mariners. “He’s going to be a great addition to our clubhouse and lineup.”
Arozarena, who is 29 years old and earns $8.1 million this year, will not be eligible to become a free agency until the 2026 season has concluded. The Rays, who are in a very competitive American League East division, are hoping to sell him along with a number of other players since they are only one game above 500. They may also trade closer Pete Fairbanks, corner infielder Isaac Paredes, and starter Zach Eflin.
In college, Hopkins played on both the infield and the mound. After being drafted in the sixth round of last year’s draft, he decided to focus only on pitching. In 83⅓ innings pitched in Class A, he had a 2.90 ERA, 95 strikeouts, and 40 walks. Smith had a batting line of.284/.402/.470 with nine home runs and twenty-eight stolen bases in seventy-seven games at the same level the previous year. He was drafted in the fourth round out of high school.
Arozarena, who will most likely become the starting left fielder for the Mariners, won the American League Rookie of the Year Award in 2021 after having an impressive playoff performance in 2020. His first All-Star appearance came two years down the road. Arozarena amassed 10 wins above replacement according to FanGraphs between 2021 and 2023 by slashing.264/.349/.443, with 63 home runs and 74 stolen bases.
He had a rough start to the 2024 season with a.284/.397/.507 slash since the beginning of June, but he has been on fire since then.
The Mariners are now falling behind while their competitors are making gains. The defending World Series champion Texas Rangers have been on a tear as of late, winning five in a row to get within two and a half games of first place, while the Astros, who have advanced to the ALCS seven times in a row, have been the best AL club since the beginning of June, going 28-16.
What did the Mariners trade for Randy Arozarena?
The Rays announced the trade on their X (previously Twitter) account, saying that in return for Arozarena, they received outfielder Aidan Smith, pitcher Brody Hopkins, and an unnamed player.
What are some fun facts about Randy Arozarena?
Arozarena was voted the ALCS MVP, becoming the first rookie position player to receive the honor. In the series, he batted 321 with four home runs and six RBI. In the World Series, Arozarena homered in the third, fourth, and sixth games, setting the record for most home runs in a single playoff.
How much does Randy Arozarena make?
Randy Arozarena’s salary for the 2024 season is $8,100,000.
