One of the first big booms of the 2024 trade deadline happened late Thursday evening.
Desperate for an impact bat, the Seattle Mariners acquired outfielder Randy Arozarena from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for outfield prospect Aidan Smith, pitching prospect Brody Hopkins and a player to be named later.
After a slow start to the 2024 season that saw him slash .178/.291/.326 with nine home runs and 22 RBI over his first 70 games, Arozarena has returned to form over his last 30 games, posting a .287/.378/.546 slash line with six home runs and 15 RBI.
With the best pitching staff ERA in the MLB at 3.41, the Mariners are in the bottom three in the MLB in runs scored with 390, and the struggle has started to take a toll on their record.
After having a three-game lead over the Houston Astros in the American League West on July 1, the Mariners have gone 6-12 since then and have watched their division lead slip away.
Currently trailing the Astros by a game in the AL West, moves had to be made, and adding the 2021 American League Rookie of the Year award-winner was the first step.
Under team control for two more seasons, the Mariners were able to acquire the 29-year-old without giving up one of their higher-tier prospects and will set themselves up to make another move or two to capitalize on their stellar pitching and make a playoff push.
Smith is a 20-year-old outfielder who was the 12th-ranked prospect in the Mariners system, in Single-A this year, he is slashing .284/.402/.470 with 36 extra-base hits, 42 RBI and 28 stolen bases in 77 games played.
Hopkins is making his professional debut this year. In 18 appearances at Single-A, the 22-year-old is 4-3 with a 2.90 ERA while striking out 95 batters over 83.2 innings pitched.
The third piece is a player to be named later, but it will likely be a player outside of the Mariners’ top 30 prospects.
Arozarena will look to give the Mariners the spark they need to make only their second playoff appearance since 2001.