ESPN MLB Insider Explains Exactly Who Randy Arozarena is For Seattle Mariners
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It's been an interesting season thus far for Seattle Mariners' outfielder Randy Arozarena. The 30-year-old is nearly directly responsible for two of the M's five wins on the season: He hit a game-tying home run on Opening Day against the Athletics and he provided five RBIs (including a grand slam) on Wednesday against the Houston Astros.
However, he's struggled beyond those situations, hitting .191 thus far.
Arozarena arrived in Seattle last July with a big resume behind him. He was a Rookie of the Year and an ALCS MVP for the Tampa Bay Rays and is also an All-Star. However, he hit just .211 last season and has seen his batting average drop each year he's been in the big leagues.
So, who exactly is he as a player? Is he the difference-maker that M's fans thought they were getting last year? Or, is he just a good player that is capable of great moments?
We caught up with ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney on the most recent "Refuse to Lose" podcast to ask that same question:
"I think the latter. And he has a long enough history now where I think we can draw that conclusion. Look, he can be dynamic and he can go on a roll and be someone who can get on a hot streak and carry a team for a while. He certainly demonstrated that with the Rays, but I don't think the Mariners would have gotten him if he was a consistently great hitter. That's the knock on him, that he has these peaks and valleys..."
You can listen to the full interview with Buster Olney below:
The Mariners will take on the Texas Rangers on Friday at 6:40 p.m. PT.
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