CHICAGO — Desperately needing a jolt to their offense, the Mariners consider they’ve added an enormous enhance.
The membership on Thursday evening acquired All-Star outfielder Randy Arozarena from the Rays, marking the primary blockbuster of the Commerce Deadline season. Going again to Tampa Bay are two promising however youthful prospects, each Draft picks from final 12 months.
Mariners obtain: OF Randy Arozarena
Rays obtain: OF Aidan Smith (No. 12 amongst Mariners Prime 30 prospects), RHP Brody Hopkins (No. 22), participant to be named later
Arozarena arrives at a time with Seattle sinking quick within the American League postseason race, having dropped a 10-game lead atop the AL West as just lately as June 18 to now being one recreation behind Houston and three 1/2 video games out of the ultimate AL Wild Card spot, coming into this week’s collection towards the White Sox.
Within the midst of a down 12 months, Arozarena has turned issues round dramatically since June 1, with a slash line of .290/.402/.517 (.920 OPS) after hitting .158 with a .568 OPS over his first 56 video games. He’s incomes $8.1 million this season and is beneath membership management for 2 extra seasons (via 2026), with doubtless two extra raises in wage by way of arbitration.
The Mariners are clearly banking on him sustaining his re-found type, which could be very a lot consistent with his profession numbers up to now — these embrace a .787 OPS, 125 wRC+ (league common is 100) and 86 residence runs over 586 video games throughout 4 seasons. And past that, the 2021 AL Rookie of the 12 months Award winner has relished the highlight as a lot as any participant within the recreation.
Arozarena, 29, put collectively one of the crucial historic postseason runs in 2020, when he hit 10 homers in 20 video games throughout the Rays’ run to the World Collection. Then, because the beginning left fielder in his first All-Star look in 2023 — coincidentally at T-Cellular Park — he made a leaping catch on the wall throughout the first inning that wowed the Seattle crowd. Arozarena additionally completed runner-up in that 12 months’s Dwelling Run Derby, to Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who the Mariners have coveted on this Deadline season, in accordance with sources.
His actual star flip final 12 months got here throughout his electrifying efficiency for Crew Mexico within the World Baseball Basic. From 2021-23, his adjusted wRC+ sat between 124 and 129, and he had no less than 20 homers, no less than 20 steals and no less than 140 hits whereas taking part in no less than 141 video games every year.
“Randy is a dynamic, high-energy all-around participant who has excelled within the greatest moments on the most important phases,” Mariners GM Justin Hollander mentioned in a press release. “He’s going to be an incredible addition to our clubhouse and lineup.”
Thursday’s commerce marked the sixteenth between Seattle and Tampa Bay since Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto took over after the 2015 season. Each golf equipment had been actively engaged in talks for a number of gamers final offseason, in accordance with sources, amongst them Arozarena and Rays nook infielders Isaac Paredes and Yandy Díaz.
To that finish, the Mariners won’t be finished throughout this Deadline season. Parting with Smith, who has been raking within the Minors, and Hopkins, who the membership was very excessive on, nonetheless stored the highest of its farm system intact — with lots extra to deal from. Headlining that group is catcher Harry Ford (Seattle’s No. 2 prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No. 23 general).
Ideally, they’d add one other affect bat. Behind the scenes, Seattle’s entrance workplace has been steadfast about aggressively enhancing the membership, even on the heels of a dramatic fall from grace (9-20 since that 10-game lead) and gut-punch accidents this week to stalwarts J.P. Crawford (out 4-6 weeks with a fractured proper pinkie) and Julio Rodríguez (whose timeline is TBD with a excessive ankle sprain)
The Mariners’ most important precedence, even after parting with first baseman Ty France earlier this week, had been to accumulate an outfielder to reinforce a crowded but underachieving group. Rodríguez is the mainstay long run, and Luke Raley — additionally acquired from Tampa Bay, in January — has been their finest acquisition from final offseason.
But past Rodríguez, the remainder of the group on the energetic roster brings their very own query marks.
Fan favourite Mitch Haniger has a career-worst .628 OPS and misplaced taking part in time. Veteran Victor Robles has skilled success however briefly spurts. Cade Marlowe was simply recalled from Triple-A Tacoma on Tuesday. Dominic Canzone, who the membership was banking on being an enormous contributor, is hitting .211 with a .684 OPS and is on the IL for the second time this season.
The Mariners desperately want offense to couple with a pitching workers that has been amongst MLB’s elite. Seattle’s bats, collectively, rank among the many worst in baseball, with a .216 batting common (thirtieth among the many 30 golf equipment), a .660 OPS (twenty eighth) and a 28.0% strikeout fee (thirtieth). Arozarena brings swing-and-miss, with a profession 25.3% Okay fee.
However he additionally brings energy potential — and perhaps simply as a lot, hope — to a membership that sorely wants it.