"Rays Trade OF Randy Arozarena to Mariners"
Acquiring a skilled player who is currently struggling, the Seattle Mariners have obtained former All-Star outfielder Randy Arozarena from the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday evening.
In exchange, the Rays will receive minor-league outfielder Aidan Smith and right-handed pitcher Brody Hopkins, as well as a player to be named.
Despite their offensive struggles this season, with a league-worst .216 batting average and the most strikeouts in the majors at 1,066, the Mariners (53-51) are still in contention for a playoff spot. They currently sit just one game behind the first-place Houston Astros (53-49) in the American League West.
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Although Arozarena, 29, is only hitting .211 this season, he has hit 15 home runs and has shown improvement in his contact rate over the past two months. Since June 1, he has a .284 batting average and ranks sixth in the American League with a .397 on-base percentage.
According to Mariners general manager Justin Hollander, "Randy is a dynamic, high-energy player who excels in big moments and on big stages. He will be a valuable addition to our team and lineup."
Arozarena was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2020 American League Championship Series and has been a full-time major-leaguer since 2021. He is one of only three players to record 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases in each season from 2021-23, and is on track to do it again this year with 15 home runs and 16 stolen bases.
In 2023, Arozarena started in the All-Star Game at Seattle's T-Mobile Park and finished the season with a .254 batting average, 23 home runs, 83 RBIs, and 22 stolen bases.
Throughout his 587 career games, Arozarena has a .256 batting average with 86 home runs, 291 RBIs, 325 runs, and 96 stolen bases. He began his career with the St. Louis Cardinals before being traded to Tampa Bay in January 2020.
The Mariners' Class-A affiliate in Modesto, California is where Smith, 20, and Hopkins, 22, are currently playing. Smith, a fourth-round draft pick in 2023, has a .284 batting average and is currently on a 20-game hitting streak. Hopkins, a sixth-round pick in 2023, has a 4-3 record with a 2.90 ERA in 18 starts for Modesto.
