Randy Arozarena has proven once again that he is a man of the people.
Following his unexpected trade from the Tampa Bay Rays to the Seattle Mariners earlier this week, Arozarena made an uncommon and heartfelt gesture by spending some of his final moments as a Ray with the team’s fans. Instead of immediately heading to Seattle, he was spotted sitting in the stands at Tropicana Field during the Rays’ game against the Reds on Friday night.
The scene left Rays announcers Dewayne Staats and Brian Anderson in awe.
“That’s Randy,” remarked Anderson, the color commentator, as covered by Awful Announcing. “Randy Arozarena with the family in the stan — OK, that’s weird. You know, seeing Zach Eflin in an Orioles uniform was weird. This is next-level weird.”
Staats, the play-by-play broadcaster, was equally surprised. “I’ve never seen that,” he said. “You know, collectively, we’ve been around the game a few months. I’ve never seen anything like that.”
Anderson voiced what many were likely thinking: “Usually, Seattle’s like, ‘You’re on your way, right?’” The announcers continued to marvel at Arozarena’s move.
“How cool is that?” Anderson said.
“I’m not sure I’ve ever seen that before like that,” reiterated Staats.
Anderson, who had a pitching career with the Angels, Cleveland, Diamondbacks, and Royals from 1993 through 2005, reflected on how disorienting midseason trades can be. “You can imagine what his emotions were when he found out,” he said. “There wasn’t a lot of — the rumors weren’t swirling. We were stuck on the plane. We got off the plane and there’s the news. It was very surreal.”
In exchange for Arozarena, the Rays received outfielder Aidan Smith and pitcher Brody Hopkins. Arozarena, who was the 2021 AL Rookie of the Year and a 2023 All-Star, has had a challenging season, entering Saturday with a .211 batting average, 15 home runs, 37 RBIs, and a .712 OPS.
Despite the trade, Arozarena’s decision to spend his last moments with the Rays’ fans showcases his deep connection to the Tampa Bay community. His presence in the stands was not just a farewell but a testament to the bond he shares with the fans, leaving a lasting impression that goes beyond his on-field achievements.
