Rays trade slugging OF Randy Arozarena to the Mariners.
In major need of offensive help, the Seattle Mariners took the first big swing on a bat before the MLB trade deadline.
It’s been a down year overall for the Arozarena in 2024. He’s slashing .211/.318/.394 with 19 doubles, 15 home runs, 37 RBIs, 101 strikeouts and 45 walks in 100 games. However, the slugging right-handed hitter has been trending in the right direction of late. In his past 30 games, he’s slashing .287/.378/.546 with six home runs, 15 RBIs and nine of his 16 stolen bases.
Arozarena, 29, is under club control through 2026 and has an $8.1 million salary this season.
The deal comes in the midst of what’s been an abysmal stretch for Seattle’s offense that has amplified its need for impact bats to support a stellar pitching staff. Seattle let a 10-game lead in the American League West slip away and at 53-51 trail the Houston Astros by one game.
On the season, the Mariners rank last in the league in batting average (.216) and runs scored (360), 28th in on-base percentage (.298) and slugging (.362). That includes scoring just 14 runs over their past eight games, a 1-7 stretch while scoring one run or fewer five times.
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They hope Arozarena can be part of the answer for an ailing offense that’s currently missing center fielder Julio Rodríguez and shortstop J.P. Crawford. Arozarena posted a 121 OPS+ or higher in each season from 2021-23 and has a career .256/.345/.441 slash line with 114 doubles, 86 home runs, 291 RBIs and 96 stolen bases in 587 games over parts of six seasons. He earned an All-Star nod and hit a career-high 23 home runs with the Rays in 2023 and was the AL Rookie of the Year in 2021.
Smith, a 20-year-old outfielder, was a fourth-round pick in the 2023 draft and the No. 12 overall prospect in the Mariners’ farm system, according to MLB.com. In 77 games this season with Single-A Modesto, Smith batted ,284/.402/.470 with 26 doubles, one triple, nine home runs, 42 RBIs, 87 strikeouts, 52 walks and 28 stolen bases.
Hopkins, a 22-year-old right-handed starter, was a sixth-round pick last year and the 22nd-ranked Mariners prospect. In 18 starts with Modesto, Hopkins was 4-3 with a 2.90 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 95 strikeouts over 83 2/3 innings.
