Mariners manager made realization about Randy Arozarena that Rays fans already knew

Randy Arozarena will always have a special place in Rays fans' hearts. Likewise, we're sure that Tampa Bay will be a place that the star slugger looks back on as where he was given the best chance to succeed. And boy did he flourish! Arozarena broke postseason records, became a fan-favorite, and even got a section of Tropicana Field named after him. So where did it all go wrong?

First of all, let's flashback to when the Rays acquired the Cuban outfielder. Tampa Bay received Arozarena and first baseman Jose Martinez from the Cardinals in a 2020 transaction. He made his debut with the Rays in August of 2020 and instantly gave the club significant production. The 25-year old finished the season strong as he hit seven home runs in only 23 games.

The incredible stretch of success continued into the postseason when Arozarena put together one of the greatest October performances in the sport's history. He crushed a record-breaking 10 homers during the 2020 playoffs and also set single-postseason records in hits (29) and total bases (64). Many fans were thrilled to see him in a Rays uniform for years to come.

However, after a down 2024 season, the Rays decided to trade the former Rookie of the Year to the Seattle Mariners for talented prospects Brody Hopkins and Aidan Smith. Unfortunately, the corner outfielder's strikeouts have grown substantially ever since his rookie campaign. As a member of the Tampa Bay roster, Arozarena struck out 101 times in 350 ABs. That's nearly a 30% strikeout rate which compares to former teammate Jose Siri.

When Randy Arozarena arrived in Seattle, the outcomes didn't seem to change. Although he raised his average from .211 to .231, Arozarena's punchout rate actually increased to a concerning 34% with the AL West club. Seattle's front office was excited to add him as a potential game-changer for the offense, but he could have possibly weakened their production overall.

Heading into the 2025 season, the former Rays All-Star is looking to return to his previous form and lead the Mariners to a long-awaited AL West division title. However, the 30-year old is already off to a slow start. It's only spring training, but he's hitting .222 with eight strikeouts in his 18 at-bats so far. That's nearly a 50% strikeout rate, but who's counting.