Just when you think you’ve seen it all, a report drops that could make every Mariners fan sick to their stomach. Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley is out here predicting that our very own three-time All-Star Randy Arozarena is headed straight for the Atlanta Braves as a free agent this upcoming offseason, and honestly, the thought alone is enough to ruin your week. Tonight, the Braves are fighting to keep their season alive against the Phillies, but it sounds like their front office is already mapping out how to poach the best talent for next year.
Arozarena’s Season Was So Good, Other Teams Are Drooling
Look, we knew Randy was having a stellar year, but the details make it sting even more to think about him in another uniform. Buckley called it a “pretty monstrous” career effort for Arozarena this season. The guy posted his best OPS in a full season with an insane .865, absolutely crushed his second-most homers of his career with 26 dingers, and swiped his third-most steals with another 26. We’re talking 20-20 territory, and this was his *sixth consecutive year* hitting at least 20 home runs and 20 or more steals. That’s just consistently elite. His 151 wRC+, according to FanGraphs, put him right up there behind only MVP favorites Yordan Alvarez and Pete Crow-Armstrong. You don’t have to be a numbers wizard to know those are MVP-caliber stats, and it’s no wonder clubs across the league are going to heavily pursue him.
The Steep Price Tag That Could Be A Mariners Gut Punch
So, what’s it going to take to land a player of Randy’s caliber? Ryan Divish over at the Seattle Times reports that a ton of MLB executives believe Arozarena’s starting price tag is going to hover right around $100 million over four years. One hundred million dollars! That’s the kind of money that makes you gasp. The Braves, who should be NL East contenders for years, would definitely need to be comfortable shelling out that kind of cash. Imagine Randy’s presence in their lineup, making them that much harder to take down. It’s a huge potential blow to our team, knowing a talent like that could walk for that kind of money.
This whole situation just reinforces how incredible Randy has been for us, and the idea of him leaving T-Mobile Park for Atlanta is a tough pill to swallow. With the Braves already making moves behind the scenes, all we can do is brace ourselves for what the offseason might bring. Let’s just hope the front office has a plan to keep our stars here in the Emerald City, because losing a player like Arozarena would leave a massive hole.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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