TORONTO — Nonetheless hovering round .500 and sitting on the periphery of the postseason image, the Rays made their first main commerce early Friday morning with a give attention to the longer term.
The Rays traded star outfielder Randy Arozarena to the Mariners for a pair of prospects — outfielder Aidan Smith and right-hander Brody Hopkins — and a participant to be named later. The Rays introduced the deal at 1:20 a.m. ET on Friday, after they returned house from a sequence victory in Toronto.
The transfer doesn’t essentially increase a white flag on the Rays’ season, but it surely does mirror the truth of the place they stand. With Tuesday’s Commerce Deadline looming, a 52-51 document and lengthy odds to succeed in the playoffs, they’re able the place they need to think about future seasons as a lot because the stretch run of this yr.
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
On this case, that meant parting with Arozarena, the fan-favorite left fielder who burst onto the scene and earned his big-game repute along with his historic postseason efficiency throughout Tampa Bay’s march to the American League championship in 2020.
Incomes $8.1 million within the second of his 4 arbitration-eligible seasons, with two extra raises due sooner or later, the 29-year-old acquired off to an uncharacteristically tough begin this season. On the finish of Might, he was hitting simply .158 with a .568 OPS. However he made some changes to his stance and method and returned to kind over the past two months, hitting .286/.392/.514 with seven homers in his subsequent 41 video games.
However Arozarena’s escalating wage and the Rays’ incapability to achieve any floor within the postseason race made him an apparent commerce candidate. The mixture of his observe document, knack for performing within the highlight and membership management (by means of the 2026 season) made him an interesting addition for the hitting-starved Mariners, who’re a sport behind the Astros within the AL West and a half-game forward of the Rays within the Wild Card standings.
“Randy is a dynamic, high-energy all-around participant who has excelled within the largest moments on the largest levels,” Mariners GM Justin Hollander mentioned in a press release. “He’s going to be an important addition to our clubhouse and lineup.”
Smith appears to be the headliner of the Rays’ return for Arozarena. The 20-year-old was Seattle’s fourth-round choose in final yr’s Draft out of Lovejoy Excessive Faculty in Lucas, Texas. The proper-handed hitter was off to a superb begin for Single-A Modesto, batting .284/.402/.470 with 9 homers, 26 doubles, 28 steals, 63 runs and 42 RBIs in 77 video games.
Smith has performed all three outfield spots this season after spending most of his skilled debut in middle subject final yr. He was ranked because the Mariners’ No. 12 prospect, and MLB Pipeline positioned him at No. 11 within the Rays’ system.
Hopkins, 22, was 4-3 with a 2.90 ERA, 95 strikeouts, 40 walks and solely two house runs allowed in 83 2/3 innings over 18 begins for Modesto this season, his first as an expert pitcher. The Mariners chosen the South Carolina native out of Winthrop College, the place he was a two-way participant, within the sixth spherical of final yr’s Draft.
Hopkins was ranked as Seattle’s No. 22 prospect, and MLB Pipeline shot him up the rankings to hitch Tampa Bay’s system at No. 6.
As excited as they could be about their return and their long-term potential, buying and selling Arozarena was not a straightforward resolution for Tampa Bay within the brief time period. The Cuban-born left fielder rapidly established himself as a fan favourite, a lot in order that the workforce devoted two sections of seats as “Randy Land” for Friday house video games at Tropicana Discipline.
He was additionally extremely profitable on the sector. Traded from the Cardinals to the Rays in January 2020, Arozarena lived as much as the hype he generated in the course of the 2020 postseason by successful the AL Rookie of the 12 months Award in 2021.
That was the beginning of a remarkably constant run for Arozarena. From 2021-23, his adjusted OPS+ sat between 121 and 129, and he had a minimum of 20 homers, a minimum of 20 steals and a minimum of 140 hits whereas enjoying a minimum of 141 video games every year. He earned his first profession All-Star nod in ‘23, though his actual star flip final yr got here throughout his electrifying efficiency for Group Mexico within the World Baseball Basic.
It wasn’t instantly clear how Tampa Bay would exchange Arozarena on the lively roster earlier than Friday’s sequence opener towards the Reds at Tropicana Discipline, though it’s value noting Yandy Díaz has been on the restricted record whereas away from the workforce because the All-Star break on account of a private household matter.