SEATTLE – The Seattle Mariners begin the second leg of a six-game home series against the Tampa Bay Rays at 6:40 p.m. PT on Monday.
The first leg of the home series was successful for the Mariners. They won the first series of the Dan Wilson era by winning two of three games by one point against the San Francisco Giants.
Seattle created many chances of its own in Sunday’s decisive game against San Francisco.
The Mariners stole five bases, one of which was taken by outfielder Randy Arozarena, who will face many familiar faces on Monday against the Rays.
Arozarena played for Tampa Bay from 2020 until his trade by Seattle on July 26 of this season.
Arozarena was a fan favorite with the Rays and even had a section in left field called “Randy Land.” Arozarena was named MVP of the American League Championship Series for Tampa Bay in 2020 and was named AL Rookie of the Year in his first full season with the Rays in 2021.
Arozarena was also named an All-Star in 2023.
The sixth-year pro has made the playoffs in every season he has been with the Rays and has posted some of the best postseason results in league history.
According to Statmuse, Arozarena had a .349 batting average with 11 home runs and 17 RBIs in 33 playoff games with Tampa Bay.
In an article by Marc Topkin in the Tampa Bay Times published on Saturday, Rays bench coach Rodney Linares commented on his first meeting with Arozarena since the trade.
“It will be bittersweet. We miss Randy and wish him the best. It will be fun to watch him. And hopefully he won’t pose while we’re there.”
Arozarena’s time in Tampa Bay meant a lot to him, and he showed it after his trade. Before joining Seattle, Arozarena spent a game watching his former team play in the section of Tropicana Field named after him.
Randy Arozarena sits here in the stands with the fans watching this game, hours after being traded from the Rays to Seattle. Baseball is the best. pic.twitter.com/4ozUPsNJ3A
— Ryan Bass (@Ry_Bass) July 26, 2024
The Mariners and Rays are neck and neck in the race for the third AL Wild Card spot, with Seattle entering Monday 6.5 games back of the final Wild Card spot and Tampa Bay seven games behind.
AROZARENA REACHES MILESTONE IN HIS CAREER: Seattle Mariners outfielder Randy Arozarena reached 100 career stolen bases in a win over the San Francisco Giants on Sunday. CLICK HERE
MARINERS WIN FIRST SERIES OF DAN WILSON ERA: Seattle Mariners starter Bryan Woo went six innings for the fifth straight game, and Justin Turner and Josh Rojas each had two hits in Sunday’s 4-3 win over the San Francisco Giants. CLICK HERE
MARINERS MANAGEMENT COMMENTS ON THE GAME AGAINST FORMER SKIPPER: The Seattle Mariners will complete the first series of the Dan Wilson era on Sunday; former Mariners manager Bob Melvin sat on the other end of the San Francisco Giants dugout. CLICK HERE
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