The Mariners and Rays completed a trade on Thursday evening which sent talented Tampa Bay outfielder Randy Arozarena to Seattle. In exchange for Randy's services, the Mariners received prospects Aidan Smith and Brody Hopkins. Tampa Bay will also receive a player to be named later.
Arozarena appeared in 468 games for the Rays between 2020 to 2023 and batted .264/.350/.450 with 70 home runs and 252 RBI. Randy struggled in the first half of 2024 with a line of .158/.257/.312 through May. However, he turned things around once June arrived and batted .290 to earn himself a trade to a more competitive team in Seattle.
Smith and Hopkins, the players headed back to the Rays, were the 14th and 15th-ranked prospects in the M's system. Each player was drafted by Seattle a year ago with Smith going in the fourth round and Hopkins in the sixth. Knowing they weren't in the top 10 organizationally has Braves fans perplexed about how Atlanta didn't get this deal done.
Randy Arozarena is a Mariner.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 26, 2024
Enjoyed discussing the news with @LaurenShehadi on @MLBNetwork this morning! @SeattleSports https://t.co/DbEALQgFad
Atlanta's 14th and 15th-ranked prospects are LHP Dylan Dodd and OF Douglas Glod so it wouldn't have been a huge hit for the team. The fact that Arozarena is only owed $2.83 million for the remainder of the season makes it all the more confusing. Atlanta could have easily matched that price and received the outfield option they needed.
The fact that Arozarena is only owed $2.83 million for the remainder of the season makes it all the more confusing. Atlanta could have easily matched that price and received the outfield option they required. This feels like a fairly big whiff by Alex Anthopoulos and company.
He would also have provided the team with some much-needed life in a clubhouse that's been downtrodden over the last month or so. However, for argument's sake, there were likely concerns about his high strikeout percentage which is around 25% this season, and a career-low wRC+ of 109 in 2024.
But Atlanta would have also gotten two years of control with Randy as well. He won't become a free agent until 2027. That could have been a factor in the Braves passing on the 29-year-old since the 2025 outfield for Atlanta is essentially set with Michael Harris II, Ronald Acuna Jr., and Jarred Kelenic. This would have left Arozarena as the odd man out.
The team is more interested in finding a rental outfielder who may not factor in the 2025 plans and can platoon with either Adam Duvall or Eddie Rosario. Michael Harris II isn't expected back until mid-August now thanks to an unfortunate setback that was recently revealed.
Atlanta has to find something soon as they are on the worst losing streak as a team since 2017. They lost their sixth straight to the Mets on Friday night and are now third in the division and second in the NL Wild Card. It just feels like they missed a prime opportunity to add what appeared to be a great fit.