Randy Arozarena had fighting words for Mariners teammate Cal Raleigh after Mexico's loss to Team USA in the World Baseball Classic on Monday night. Arozarena was upset he was denied a handshake from someone he considers a friends. In response, Randy complimented Raleigh's parents (and seemingly apologized to them) before ranting about Raleigh's poor sportsmanship. If Arozarena was genuinely upset, this is not how he should've handled his emotions.
“The only thing he should be thankful for is having such great parents,”Arozarena told Mexican journalist Luis Gilbert in Spanish. “He’s very well educated, thank God. I was lucky enough to see them a few days ago at the hotel. They came over to greet me, gave me a big hug, and were genuinely proud to see me again." The Mexican outfielder went on to tell Raleigh he could 'f*** off' and 'go to hell', along with shoving his 'good to see you...right up his a**.'
Mariners should consider trading Randy Arozarena to the Tigers
The Mariners don't need this. While Arozarena would be a useful hitter in their lineup – he is a two-time All-Star, after all – Seattle's outfielder is in the final year of his contract. There were rumblings this winter that the Mariners might consider dealing him, but Seattle didn't act on that impulse. Instead, it's more than like the Mariners will go into the 2026 season with Raleigh and the player upset over handshake-gate sharing the same lineup.
For what it's worth, Raleigh did say there's no bad blood between he and Arozarena on Tuesday. However, the comments from Arozarena in the heat of the moment suggests there are some unresolved issues between the two.
There is an easy solution here, and that's to trade Arozarena somewhere he'll be appreciated, even if only for a season. The Detroit Tigers, for example, could use some pop in their lineup. It's Tarik Skubal's final season in Detroit – and perhaps Justin Verlander's, too – so why not swing for the fences? If Arozarena can be had, trading for him while he's playing in the World Baseball Classic actually makes some sense. Here's what that deal could look like.
Would the Tigers make this trade?
The Tigers would buy low on Arozarena, and he'd come off the books at the end of this season. Arozarena was a four-WAR player last year. That'll be tough to find at this point in free agency, or even at the MLB trade deadline. A full year of Arozarena could prove costly, and the deal above includes two top-10 prospects in the Tigers farm, and another in the top-30. Lee, Detroit's No. 6-ranked prospect, could contribute as soon as this season, as he spent 2025 in Triple-A Toledo. Yost is younger at 19, but is already a top-10 prospect, meaning he projects to crack MLB's top-100 should he keep improving. Arozarena would fit seamlessly into the Tigers lineup if given the opportunity, and would provide more outfield relief for Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter, two powerful hitters who desperately need it.
Verdict: Yes
Would the Mariners make this trade?
From a value perspective, this could be as good as it gets for the Mariners. If they do choose to trade Arozarena this season, whether it be now or the deadline, they're unlikely to get two top-10 prospects from a solid farm system like Detroit's. However, there's a chance some of this so-called bad blood is overblown. Just listen to what Raleigh had to say on Tuesday.
"I have a responsibility to to my teammates and and the country to be focused and locked in. And like I said, there's no harm or no bad blood. There's nothing behind it. It doesn't matter who's on the other side," Raleigh said. "There's no beef. I love Randy. Like I said, when we're back in Seattle, he's my brother. He's family."
I can argue against Raleigh's merits here quite a bit. Just because he's representing Team USA doesn't mean he has to pretend Arozarena doesn't exist, or that the two aren't friends outside of the context of this tournament. But hopefully all of this can be explained away in a conversation behind closed doors.