Randy Arozarena is heading to Seattle.
The Mariners reached a deal to land the Tampa Bay Rays star in a trade Thursday night, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
In return, the Rays will receive minor leaguers OF Aidan Smith and RHP Brody Hopkins, according to the Marc Topkins of the Tampa Bay Times. The Rays will also welcome a third minor leaguer, to be named at a later date.
#Rays get the minor leaguers of Aidan Smith and RHP Brody Hopkins, plus a PTBNL of #Sailors to Arozarena
-Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) July 26, 2024
Arozarena is in the middle of his fifth season with the Rays, although he is currently hitting a career-low .213 with 15 home runs and 36 RBI. The 29-year-old outfielder was named to his first All-Star Game last season, finishing the season with 23 home runs and 22 steals while leading the Rays to the playoffs.
He burst onto the scene in the 2020 postseason, winning ALCS MVP as the Rays reached the World Series and setting the MLB record for home runs in a single postseason with 10. In his first full season in 2021, Arozarena won AL Rookie of the Year with 20 homers and 129 OPS+.
Smith, who the Mariners took in the fourth round of last year’s draft, has a .284 batting average with 42 RBI and nine home runs with his low-A affiliate this summer. The 20-year-old outfielder was the Mariners’ No. 12 prospect, according to MLB.com. Hopkins, the Mariners’ No. 22 prospect, holds a 4-3 record in 18 starts with his low-A team. The right-handed pitcher holds a 2.90 ERA in 83 2/3 innings on the mound.
Arozarena will join a Mariners team fighting to secure what would be its second playoff berth in the last 23 seasons. They currently hold a 53-51 record, good for second place in the AL West, heading into a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox this weekend. The M’s are 3.5 games out of the AL’s final spot.
After years of consistent playoff contention, the Tampa Bay Rays are having a poor season by their standards. At 52-51, they are 9.5 games into the AL East and four games out of the AL wild card.
The MLB trade deadline is 6pm ET on Tuesday.
What does this trade mean for Mariners, Rays?
Seattle’s atrocious offense is largely to blame for the team blowing a 10-game division lead to Houston in impressive fashion, and it was no secret that the Mariners would look to upgrade their lineup as the deadline approaches. Recent injuries to Julio Rodriguez and JP Crawford and an embarrassing home sweep at the hands of the Angels have seemingly turned that possibility into reality, as the M’s have reached a deal with Tampa Bay to acquire one of the league’s most recognizable outfielders in Arozarena.
Both corner outfield positions in Seattle have been woefully unproductive alongside J-Rod, and even though he’ll return from his ankle injury soon, this was an obvious position that needed an upgrade ASAP. Arozarena has been one of the best hitters in baseball in the last two months and should help immediately. That said, if the Mariners really want to feel good about staying in contention to win the AL West, this shouldn’t be the only slugger they acquire.
The potential cost may not seem substantial at first glance, but the Rays correctly identified two rapidly rising players in Seattle’s system to headline this return. Smith is a right-handed prospect who received a $1.2 million signing bonus a year ago from a Texas high school and is having a breakout season as a teenager in Low-A. Hopkins is an ultra-athletic right-handed pitcher who was primarily a position player in college but has blossomed in professional football and could begin appearing regularly on top-100 lists as early as this winter. He’s 22 and still in Low-A like Smith, but could advance quickly next year once his workload isn’t being managed as closely. The Rays will also get a PTBNL in this deal, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s another decent prospect.
While Tampa Bay is apparently still close to the AL’s wild card mix, this trade signifies a willingness to sell more significantly and focus on the future rather than trying to sneak into this year’s postseason. Based on the run differential and pitching issues, I’d say it’s a smart assessment by the Rays, and this deal could look great in a few years. – Jordan Shusterman
