Through the Rays’ first five games, Randy Arozarena has continued to do what he does best: terrorize pitchers. The 29-year-old has been on fire at the plate and been an on-base machine. While Tampa Bay has gotten off to an uneven start, Arozarena is in mid-season form.
In 17 at-bats, Arozarena has posted a .294 batting average while stealing two bases. He also showed some power, as two of his five hits have been home runs. For a player looking to record his fourth straight 20 home run season, Arozarena is off to a good start.
Although the Rays pitching has struggled so far, the Cuban native has been a bright spot. He is not only making headlines with his bat but also his interactions with fans. After hitting a home run in the fifth on Saturday he took the time to sign bats and baseballs for fans.
“ It makes me happy to be able to sign autographs for the kids, because you never know- it could be their dream,” Arozarena told MLB.com’s Adam Berry through team interpreter Manny Navaro.” They could identify with me there. Hopefully one day they can make it to the Major Leagues as well and do the same.”
While Arozarena has continued to be a fan favorite, he has also been solid defensively. In 43 innings in the outfield, Arozarena has recorded nine putouts and has not committed an error. With his performance at the plate and field in the play, Arozarena has again been one of the Rays best players.
As the season continues, the Rays will need Arozarena to continue his hot start. So far, the pitching has struggled, making offense even more important. That is where their talented left fielder comes in.
When Arozarena is locked in at the plate, few players are more impactful on the Rays roster. During his career as a Ray, Arozarena has reached the 80 RBI mark twice and has been a fixture in the lineup. Due to his ability to make an impact with his speed, Arozarena has been a human highlight reel.
In a competitive AL East, the Rays will be relying on Arozarena to be a main source of offense. Over the offseason they didn;t make any major additions offensively. Some of the new faces include Jose Caballero and Ahmed Rosario. The duo have driven in a combined four runs and hit three doubles.
Although the MLB season is only one week old, Arozarena has shown some encouraging signs. He is driving the ball and playing flawless defense in the outfield. That is usually a sign that Arozarena is at his best.
On a team with playoff aspirations expect the talented outfielder to have another impressive season.
