Seattle Mariners' Randy Arozarena Should Benefit From Change

Randy Arozarena was one of many Seattle Mariners’ hottest hitters for a two-month stretch final season, however his manufacturing fell off a cliff over the ultimate two months.

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From June 1 via July 30, Arozarena went on a tear the place he slashed .281/.357/.556 with a .913 OPS, 14 house runs and 12 doubles. During that stretch, he led the membership with a 156 wRC+ and 26 extra-base hits, and was second to solely American League MVP runner-up Cal Raleigh in OPS and homers.

After buying Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez to hit in the midst of the order earlier than the commerce deadline, the M’s determined to maneuver the hot-hitting Arozarena to the leadoff spot on July 31. That’s when his season began to show the incorrect route.

Arozarena produced a .231/.302/.343 slash line with six homers and 9 doubles from July 31 to the tip of the common season. During that stretch, his .645 OPS and 90 wRC+ had been the worst amongst regulars within the Mariners’ lineup.

With offseason commerce addition Brendan Donovan now within the fold and anticipated to bat leadoff, Arozarena will possible have a brand new spot within the lineup this yr. MLB.com projects the 31-year-old left fielder to hit fifth.

Moving down within the order should be an excellent benefit for Arozarena, based on Mariners radio analyst and former MLB pitcher Ryan Rowland-Smith.

“I hate to use this (comparison) because people are gonna get mad when I say it, but when Teoscar Hernández went from the Mariners to the Dodgers, he was a more of a supporting cast (player),” Rowland-Smith mentioned.

Hernández had an underwhelming yr in his solely season with the Mariners in 2023. After being introduced in to be a difference-making, middle-of-the-order bat, the slugger had a .258 batting common, .435 slugging share, .741 OPS and a 107 wRC+, which had been properly beneath the numbers he had in his two seasons prior with Toronto.

But after Hernández joined the Dodgers’ stacked lineup in 2024, he rebounded with a .272 common, .501 slugging share, .840 OPS and 132 wRC+ whereas incomes an All-Star nod and Silver Slugger.

“He was hitting further down the line, and you get more of a look (at the pitcher before your turn to hit). You get pitched a little bit differently. You get more pitches to hit,” Rowland-Smith mentioned. “(Arozarena) needs pitches to hit, man. He’s a mistake hitter, that’s for sure, as opposed to being that guy in the leadoff spot where (pitchers are) gonna put more of a magnifying glass on you when they’re coming up with a plan throughout the day.”

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