Randy Arozarena has been traded to the Seattle Mariners, according to multiple reports, as the Tampa Bay Rays part with another franchise cornerstone.
In exchange, the Rays will receive outfielder Aidan Smith, right-handed pitcher Brody Hopkins and a player to be named later.
The move should provide a boost to a Mariners team that features elite pitching and poor offence. A recent slow stretch has seen the Mariners fall back to the pack and they will be battling with the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers for the division crown after leading the pack most of the season.
Arozarena, a slugging outfielder, will help Seattle patch a hole in its lineup left by Teoscar Hernandez, who joined the Dodgers in the off-season.
However, the Cuban is in the midst of his quietest season yet. Through 99 games, Arozarena is hitting just .213/.319/.398 with 15 home runs and a .717 OPS as Tampa’s primary cleanup hitter. And after cracking the 80 RBI mark in each of the past two seasons, Arozarena has just 36 so far in 2024.
