How Dodgers fans connected dots on Rays megatrade for Randy Arozarena

The Los Angeles Dodgers' fandom could be in for another holiday season surprise.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Dodgers are discussing a trade centered on Tampa Bay Rays ace Tyler Glasnow. The hard-throwing righty is quite possibly the best trade candidate left on the market post-Juan Soto, depending on how seriously trade talks evolve around offensive superstars like Alex Bregman or Pete Alonso.

The reported trade from Rosenthal would also land the Dodgers outfield help in the form of Manuel Margot, with Ryan Pepiot and Jonny Deluca heading to Tampa.

That alone is a huge potential win for the Dodgers, whose primary area of need is starting pitching. The offense is going to annihilate teams with Shohei Ohtani on board, but Clayton Kershaw's impending departure leaves the starting rotation in murky waters. Walker Buehler is due back from injury, but he alone doesn't ensure that LA feels good about its options once the postseason arrives. Glasnow is a major step in the right direction if the trade goes through.

It could, however, get even better. A few attentive internet sleuths have uncovered a potentially game-changing next move for the Dodgers. It started with this Instagram post from Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena — a photo of him posing next to Shohei Ohtani at the World Baseball Classic.

Then, out of the blue, Arozarena picked up a new follower on Instagram... Shohei Ohtani's interpreter.

Glasnow is notably among the players recently followed by Ohtani's interpreter, which could — in theory — suggest a broader trade package than Rosenthal's report. Arozarena has been on the periphery of trade rumors all winter, but the 28-year-old is arbitration eligible through the 2026 season. The Rays would be trading him sooner than expected.

Conspiracy theory ties Randy Arozarena, Tyler Glasnow to Dodgers

It's important to note that no concrete reporting ties Arozarena to the Dodgers. Odds are, Ohtani's interpreter followed Arozarena because he posted the photo with Ohtani. Arozarena could simply be acknowledging his proximity to greatness following Ohtani's record-breaking $700 million contract. There doesn't have to be secret motivation beyond "here's a photo of me and baseball's highest-paid player."

The Dodgers could, in theory, brief Ohtani about a potential move ahead of time. That's standard procedure with superstars of that caliber. That said, Ohtani is notoriously secretive. We didn't hear a peep about his free agent decision until he himself broke the news. It feels unwise to use his interpreter's social media account as a guide to potential front office moves.

Arozarena would be a welcome addition to the Dodgers' elite offense. He slashed .254/.364/.425 with 23 home runs and 85 RBIs in 551 ABs last season. He also drew 80 walks, compared to 156 strikeouts. He's not great in the field, but Arozarena forces pitchers to tread carefully and he's an extra-base hits machine.

Just don't count on it, LA fans. The Rays won 99 games last season. It's not exactly time to rebuild.