Seattle Mariners Outfielder Hits First Home Run at T-Mobile Park Against Former Team
SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners were thought to have gotten one of the best players available at the trade deadline when they acquired outfielder Randy Arozarena from the Tampa Bay Rays on July 26.
Arozarena has been a key contributor for Seattle as the team has attempted to make a final push to the postseason. He's had some good and some tough stretches in his first month with the team, but his energy and experience has been praised by teammates and coaches alike.
Arozarena reminded his former squad of that ability on Monday night in a 5-1 win.
Arozarena hit his first home run at T-Mobile Park as a member of the Mariners in the first of a three-game series against the Rays on Monday. Arozarena's three-run shot came in the bottom of the third and put Seattle up 4-1. The home run had a distance of 376 feet and was on the first pitch of the at-bat.
Randy, that was dandy 😎 pic.twitter.com/MT2UYf18c2
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) August 27, 2024
It was Arozarena's second home run since joining the Mariners. His first came on July 29 in a road game against the Boston Red Sox. It was his 20th hit since joining the Mariners, according to Statmuse.
Tampa Bay bench coach Rodney Linares said in an article published Saturday by Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times that the team "misses Randy." He also jokingly said that he hoped Arozarena didn't strike his trademark celebration pose while the Rays were in Seattle. Unfortunately for Linares, Arozarena did pose after the home run.
Arozarena was a one-time All-Star in his four and-a-half years with Tampa Bay and was the American League Championship Series MVP when the Rays made the World Series in 2020.
Arozarena was a fan-favorite of with the Rays and even had a section in left field nicknamed "Randy Land" after him.
The sixth-year outfielder made a lot of memories in Tampa Bay. Now Mariners fans are getting to see some new memories made in the Pacific Northwest.
The Mariners are 3.5 games behind the Houston Astros in the American League West after the win.
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