The Mariners have slid out of the top slot of the AL West, thanks to a 6-12 run in July and an Astros team that’s caught fire. To beef up their roster, Seattle made multiple moves before the 2024 Trade Deadline. On July 25, the Mariners acquired Randy Arozarena via trade from the Rays, and Yimi Garcia from Toronto a day later.
A Look at Arozarena
Almost five years ago, the Rays acquired OF Randy Arozarena from the Cardinals in the deal that saw Matthew Liberatore go to St. Louis. Arozarena didn’t have a clear path to playing time with the Cardinals. But, he did with the Rays.
What Arozarena did from 2020-24 was become one of the more exciting players in baseball. The 29-year-old recorded a 1.022 OPS across 23 games in the shortened 2020 campaign, then smacked 10 home runs in the postseason. He went on to win the 2021 AL Rookie of the Year and post three 20-20 campaigns.
Arozarena is on pace for another 20-20 season in 2024. Even though he had just a .712 OPS — what would be his career-worst — in 2024, Arozarena had 15 home runs, 16 stolen bases, and 34 extra-base hits with Tampa. Arozarena had four home runs and 11 extra-base hits through 19 July games.
You know what you’re going to get with Arozarena; above-average bat speed (66th percentile per Statcast), which allows him to catch up to fastballs. He’s going to be out on front on pitches and look to pull the ball but his power gives the M’s sorely-needed pop after Seattle moved on from Teoscar Hernandez and Eugenio Suarez last winter.
The 29-year-old has also become more disciplined as the years have gone on. Arozarena’s chase rate went from 30.9% (2022) to 25.0% (2024) and it’s resulted in more walks. He drew a career-high 80 walks last season.
Defensively, Arozarena has had his great defensive moments, including in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. However, his below-average arm strength makes him a better fit in left field. He hasn’t played in right field since 2022 and saw seven appearances in center with the Rays this season.
Seattle traded Aiden Smith and Brody Hopkins in the deal for Arozarena. Hopkins was a sixth-round pick in 2023 who has a delivery with rotation and moving parts but very good stuff. The former Winthrop product struck out 95 over 83.2 IP with Modesto (A). Smith, meanwhile, left the M’s organization with a .402 OBP in Modesto and is widely regarded as a premier athlete.
The Mariners will have control of Arozarena through 2026.
A Look at Garcia
Ex-Blue Jays reliever Yimi Garcia had a very successful run with Toronto. The Blue Jays signed Garcia right before the lockout in 2021 and he proceeded to provide quality results, including sub-3.15 ERA figures in 2022 and 2024.
Garcia’s reliability made him even more valuable this season for the Jays, as the 33-year-old saw time as closer thanks to a banged-up Jordan Romano. He struck out 42 batters over 30 innings and notched five saves with the Blue Jays.
The new Mariner can pump a hard, high-90s fastball, along with a curveball that doesn’t have an above-average downward break. But, it does sit in the low-to-mid-80s. He’ll also break out a changeup and slider, the former of which is used almost exclusively against lefties. Opposing batters have a 55.0% Whiff% rate off the change, which differs about eight MPH from his four-seamer and sinker.
Even though Garcia has a sinker — a pitch he’ll use often — he doesn’t get a lot of ground balls. His sinker is more of a running two-seamer than one with downward sink. Still, that provided value, including when trying to jam right-handed pitchers.
Garcia was rated our 19th-best trade target available as of the trade.
The Mariners gave up Jonatan Clase and Jacob Sharp. Clase is a burner with plus speed. The 22-year-old has had limited success at the MLB level. He went 8-41 (.195) over his first 19 MLB contests.
Analysis
Heading into play on July 26, the Mariners owned the league’s third-worst wOBA (.292) and wRC+ (93). Seattle’s offense has underperformed this season, including their star. Julio Rodriguez was electric in each of his first two MLB campaigns but owns just a .687 OPS despite largely good batted-ball metrics. He owns an above-average Barrel% (9.6%) and Hard Hit% (47.4%). However, his whiff percentage has jumped.
Rodriguez has always been a chase-heavy hitter but one key issue has been the pieces around J-Rod. Offseason acquisitions Jorge Polanco and Mitch Garver have underperformed, while Ty France was DFA’d amidst a tough 2024 campaign. With little protection around Rodriguez, it’s much easier to pitch around him or just play into his weaknesses.
Arozarena hasn’t been incredible in 2024 and he’s not Teoscar Hernandez. But, he’s a significant upgrade compared to what Seattle has received from Luke Raley and Mitch Haniger in the corner outfield positions.
As for Garcia, he’ll join a loaded Mariners bullpen, one that now includes effective lefty Tayler Saucedo and a now-healthy Gregory Santos. He’ll likely slot into a setup role behind Andres Munoz and take over the roster spot of now-Mets reliever Ryne Stanek.