Rays acquire talented pair of prospects in Arozarena deal

TORONTO -- Still hovering around .500 and sitting on the periphery of the postseason picture, the Rays made their first major trade early Friday morning with a focus on the future.

The Rays traded star outfielder Randy Arozarena to the Mariners for a pair of prospects -- outfielder Aidan Smith and right-hander Brody Hopkins -- and a player to be named later. The Rays announced the deal at 1:20 a.m. ET on Friday, after they returned home from a series victory in Toronto.

The move doesn’t necessarily raise a white flag on the Rays’ season, but it does reflect the reality of where they stand. With Tuesday’s Trade Deadline looming, a 52-51 record and long odds to reach the playoffs, they are in a position where they must consider future seasons as much as the stretch run of this year.

TRADE DETAILS

Mariners receive: OF Randy Arozarena
Rays receive: OF Aidan Smith (No. 12 among Mariners Top 30 prospects), RHP Brody Hopkins (No. 22), player to be named later

In this case, that meant parting with Arozarena, the fan-favorite left fielder who burst onto the scene and earned his big-game reputation with his historic postseason performance during Tampa Bay’s march to the American League championship in 2020.

Earning $8.1 million in the second of his four arbitration-eligible seasons, with two more raises due in the future, the 29-year-old got off to an uncharacteristically rough start this season. At the end of May, he was hitting just .158 with a .568 OPS. But he made some adjustments to his stance and approach and returned to form over the last two months, hitting .286/.392/.514 with seven homers in his next 41 games.

But Arozarena’s escalating salary and the Rays’ inability to gain any ground in the postseason race made him an obvious trade candidate. The combination of his track record, knack for performing in the spotlight and club control (through the 2026 season) made him an appealing addition for the hitting-starved Mariners, who are a game behind the Astros in the AL West and a half-game ahead of the Rays in the Wild Card standings.

“Randy is a dynamic, high-energy all-around player who has excelled in the biggest moments on the biggest stages,” Mariners GM Justin Hollander said in a statement. “He’s going to be a great addition to our clubhouse and lineup.”

Smith seems to be the headliner of the Rays’ return for Arozarena. The 20-year-old was Seattle’s fourth-round pick in last year’s Draft out of Lovejoy High School in Lucas, Texas. The right-handed hitter was off to an excellent start for Single-A Modesto, batting .284/.402/.470 with nine homers, 26 doubles, 28 steals, 63 runs and 42 RBIs in 77 games.

Smith has played all three outfield spots this season after spending most of his professional debut in center field last year. He was ranked as the Mariners’ No. 12 prospect, and MLB Pipeline placed him at No. 11 in the Rays’ system.

Hopkins, 22, was 4-3 with a 2.90 ERA, 95 strikeouts, 40 walks and only two home runs allowed in 83 2/3 innings over 18 starts for Modesto this season, his first as a professional pitcher. The Mariners selected the South Carolina native out of Winthrop University, where he was a two-way player, in the sixth round of last year’s Draft.

Hopkins was ranked as Seattle’s No. 22 prospect, and MLB Pipeline shot him up the rankings to join Tampa Bay’s system at No. 6.

As excited as they may be about their return and their long-term potential, trading Arozarena was not an easy decision for Tampa Bay in the short term. The Cuban-born left fielder quickly established himself as a fan favorite, so much so that the team dedicated two sections of seats as “Randy Land” for Friday home games at Tropicana Field.

He was also highly successful on the field. Traded from the Cardinals to the Rays in January 2020, Arozarena lived up to the hype he generated during the 2020 postseason by winning the AL Rookie of the Year Award in 2021.

That was the start of a remarkably consistent run for Arozarena. From 2021-23, his adjusted OPS+ sat between 121 and 129, and he had at least 20 homers, at least 20 steals and at least 140 hits while playing at least 141 games each year. He earned his first career All-Star nod in ‘23, although his real star turn last year came during his electrifying performance for Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic.

With Arozarena gone, the Rays will likely use Richie Palacios and Jonny DeLuca in left field with Jose Siri in center and Josh Lowe primarily playing right.

It wasn’t immediately clear how Tampa Bay would replace Arozarena on the active roster before Friday’s series opener against the Reds at Tropicana Field, although it’s worth noting Yandy Díaz has been on the restricted list while away from the team since the All-Star break due to a personal family matter.