The Mariners landed a much-needed lineup improve on Thursday night time. Seattle introduced the acquisition of Randy Arozarena from the Rays in alternate for 2 prospects — outfielder Aidan Smith and right-hander Brody Hopkins — in addition to a participant to be named later. Seattle had a gap on their 40-man roster after designating Ty France for project earlier this week, so no further transfer was mandatory.
Arozarena had a superb four-plus yr run in Tampa Bay. The Rays acquired him from the Cardinals over the 2019-20 offseason in a deal sending prime pitching prospect Matthew Liberatore to St. Louis. Arozarena had made a quick MLB debut the prior season, however the 2020 postseason represented his true emergence as a star. He mashed 10 dwelling runs in 20 video games, snagging ALCS MVP honors and serving to the Rays attain the World Collection.
Regardless of that breakout playoff efficiency, Arozarena retained rookie eligibility into 2021. He cruised to Rookie of the 12 months honors behind a .274/.356/.459 slash with 20 homers and stolen bases apiece. That was the primary of three straight 20-20 campaigns for the Cuban outfielder. He swiped a career-high 32 bases in ’22 and reached 23 longballs in his first All-Star season final yr.
Arozarena appeared in 445 video games between 2021-23. He hit .264/.349/.443 with 63 homers in somewhat greater than 1900 plate appearances. That manufacturing was 26 proportion factors above league common, as measured by wRC+, placing him among the many greatest left fielders within the sport. Arozarena’s accolades and consistency led to rapidly escalating arbitration salaries. That fueled chatter that the low-payroll Rays may deal him final offseason.
Tampa Bay clearly rebuffed no matter commerce gives they acquired over the winter. They actually hoped Arozarena would anchor their lineup and assist them to a sixth straight playoff berth. He and the crew acquired off to a chilly begin, nevertheless, placing them in a gap from which they’ve by no means actually recovered.
Arozarena hit .158/.257/.312 by way of the tip of Could. A few of that was the results of an unsustainably poor .186 common on balls in play, however his strikeout price spiked to a near-29% price. Arozarena has turned issues round following that disastrous stretch. He’s raking at a .290/.402/.517 clip over the previous two months. He has dramatically reduce on the swing-and-miss (right down to 19.5%) and barely elevated his stroll proportion. The outcomes have been much more according to his profession observe document.
In mixture, Arozarena’s season numbers are pedestrian. He’s hitting .211/.318/.394 with 15 homers by way of 409 plate appearances. That’s solely marginally higher than common and can be the worst numbers of his profession. Given his general observe document and up to date type, it appears truthful to view his early-season struggles as extra of an anomaly than a worrying pattern. Getting something near the 29-year-old’s profession manufacturing can be a significant increase for a Seattle lineup that has hit .216/.298/.362 on the yr. Solely the White Sox have scored fewer runs this month, the largest motive the M’s have watched their 10-game cushion within the AL West evaporate.
The Mariners are solely a half-game forward of the Rays within the American League standings. It’s uncommon to see a crew commerce an affect participant to a different membership that near them within the playoff image. Seattle is in higher form than Tampa Bay with reference to snagging a playoff berth, although. The Rays want to leap three groups and erase a four-game deficit within the Wild Card combine. Seattle has a way more lifelike path to a division title, as they’re just one sport behind the Astros and maintain a 1.5 sport edge on the third-place Rangers.
Whereas Tampa Bay isn’t going to fully tear issues down, they might dangle quite a lot of veteran gamers within the subsequent few days. The Rays had already moved Aaron Civale and Phil Maton. Dealing Arozarena appears to extend the chance of them shifting the likes of Brandon Lowe, Yandy Díaz, Zach Eflin and Zack Littell. The Rays may additionally attempt to purchase higher minors or MLB-ready expertise to help an extended shot playoff push this season and assist them for a return to competition subsequent yr.
Seattle is in rather more conventional purchaser mode. Their offense was reeling even earlier than shedding Julio Rodríguez and J.P. Crawford to harm this week. Arozarena is one of what’s prone to be a number of upgrades to their lineup as they attempt to capitalize on arguably MLB’s greatest beginning rotation. The M’s have relied on one other former Ray, Luke Raley, as their major left fielder. Raley has been a median hitter on the season general, however he has fanned 22 occasions with a .119/.224/.254 slash in 67 plate appearances this month.
Arozarena is enjoying this season on an $8.1MM wage. The M’s tackle round $2.83MM for the stretch run, which can push their estimated participant payroll to round $143MM (as calculated by RosterResource). Managing associate John Sherman mentioned final month that the entrance workplace had the spending capability so as to add gamers on the deadline. They’ve put that into apply right here and will accomplish that once more earlier than Tuesday. Seattle controls Arozarena by way of arbitration for 2 extra seasons. He’ll doubtless earn a lift into the $12-14MM vary subsequent yr and will method a $20MM wage for the ’26 marketing campaign.
The Rays, a crew that entered the season with a participant payroll beneath $100MM, in all probability weren’t wanting to decide to these 2025-26 salaries. A commerce by subsequent offseason all the time appeared doubtless. They’re sufficiently intrigued by the prospect package deal to make the transfer a number of months early, even when it offers successful to their already slim playoff probabilities.
Smith and Hopkins every ranked within the center tiers of a Seattle farm system that’s arguably one of the best within the league. They respectively checked in 14th and fifteenth on Baseball America’s most up-to-date organizational listing. Smith, 20, was a fourth-round select of a Texas highschool final summer time. He signed for an overslot $1.2MM bonus.
The righty-hitting outfielder has posted large numbers for Low-A Modesto. Smith is hitting .284/.402/.470 with 26 doubles, a triple and 9 homers throughout 358 plate appearances. He’s drawing walks at an enormous 14.5% clip towards a barely elevated 24.3% strikeout price. BA praises Smith’s athleticism and defensive instincts in heart area. He has important energy potential in a 6’3″ body, although there are nonetheless questions on his pure hitting capability.
Hopkins was a sixth-round draftee out of Winthrop final yr. The 6’4″ righty has been one of many huge risers within the system this yr. He owns a 2.90 ERA over 83 2/3 innings with Modesto. Hopkins has fanned 26.5% of batters confronted whereas issuing walks at an 11.1% clip. He has laborious a tricky time throwing strikes relationship again to his time in faculty, however Baseball America credit him with a plus fastball/slider mixture from a decrease arm angle that’s particularly powerful for same-handed hitters. He may mission to a bullpen future however ought to proceed to begin in the interim.
Neither Smith nor Hopkins are near the majors or to Rule 5 eligibility. Pending the revelation of the PTBNL (who can’t be on Seattle’s 40-man roster or certainly one of this yr’s draftees), it’s a future-oriented package deal for Tampa Bay. The following few days ought to reveal whether or not the Rays are focusing their deadline hauls on decrease minors prospects or just favored Smith and Hopkins sufficient to miss their distance from the massive leagues.
Francys Romero first reported the Rays had been buying and selling Arozarena to Seattle. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reported the Rays had been buying two prospects and a participant to be named later. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Occasions was first to report that Smith and Hopkins had been the prospects.
Picture courtesy of USA At the moment Sports activities.
