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Projecting the Mariners lineup after Randy Arozarena trade

The Seattle Mariners made a blockbuster trade for former All-Star left fielder Randy Arozarena, but where does he fit into the club's lineup?

By Lior Lampert

Tampa Bay Rays v New York Yankees
Tampa Bay Rays v New York Yankees / Adam Hunger/GettyImages
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On Friday, the Tampa Bay Rays signaled to the rest of the MLB they'll be sellers before this year's trade deadline. The club sent the former All-Star and postseason hero Randy Arozarena to the Seattle Mariners.

Sitting at 53-51 and second place in the American League West, the Mariners trail the Houston Astros by one game for the divisional lead. Moreover, they're 3.5 contests behind the Kansas City Royals for the third and final Wild Card spot. So, they acquired Arozarena to bolster their push for the playoffs, simultaneously addressing their dismal hitting woes.

The Mariners rank near the bottom of the majors in various batting statistics. They're 27th in on-base percentage, 30th in batting average, and 28th/30th in runs and hits per game, respectively. Overall, they're desperately lacking juice in their lineup, something Arozarena should provide. But with that in mind, where does the veteran left fielder fit into the picture?

Below, we will try to forecast Seattle's batting order following the Arozarena trade.

For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, and join the discord to get the inside scoop as we near the July 30 MLB trade deadline

Projecting the Mariners lineup after Randy Arozarena trade

  1. J.P. Crawford, SS*
  2. Josh Rojas, 3B
  3. Julio Rodriguez, CF*
  4. Randy Arozarena, LF
  5. Cal Raleigh, C
  6. Jorge Polanco, 2B
  7. Mitch Haninger, RF
  8. Luke Raley, 1B
  9. Mitch Garver, DH

J.P. Crawford (right hand fracture) and Julio Rodriguez (right high ankle sprain) were added to the 10-day injury list on July 23, hence the asterisks.

Arozarena will instantly assert himself in the heart of Seattle's lineup. While his performance in 2024 is disappointing by his standards, he's developed a track record that speaks for itself. The 29-year-old has registered three consecutive 20-home run and 20-steal campaigns since 2021, a streak he's still pacing to extend this season despite his struggles.

The former Rays slugger is batting .211/.318/.394 with 15 homers, 37 RBIs and 16 stolen bases across 409 plate appearances this year. His presence boosts the Mariners' rest-of-season outlook as they gear up for a second-half run.

Whether Seattle makes additional moves to bring in more batters remains to be seen. But with arguably the best starting pitching rotation in baseball, the Mariners can continue taking bites at the apple to balance the roster.

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