What do you get for the person who has everything? That’s what onlookers will be thinking as the Los Angeles Dodgers traverse the MLB trade deadline, which sits just five days away.
The Dodgers, of course, don’t literally have everything. They could use some pitching depth amid their myriad of injuries and another dependable outfield option outside of Teoscar Hernandez. One option could be Tampa Bay Rays star Randy Arozarena, who LA was linked to previously and fits the team on several levels.
According to Jesse Rogers of ESPN, one rival team executive sees the 29-year-old outfielder as a “perfect match” for the Dodgers, who he faced in the 2020 World Series.
“Trade Randy Arozarena to the Dodgers,” the unnamed executive suggested to ESPN. “He's starting to heat up and the guy loves the limelight. What could be better than Arozarena joining the stars in L.A.? It's a perfect match.”
Randy Arozarena trade to Dodgers makes sense ahead of deadline
Arozarena would indeed be great for the Dodgers. His flair for making big plays would certainly be appreciated in Los Angeles and he plays a position of need, as Jason Heyward is getting up there in age and Andy Pages may be too young and inexperienced to be relied on in the playoffs.
But what really makes Arozarena a great fit for the Dodgers is the fact that he has a history of playing great in the postseason. In 28 playoff games with the Rays, he has a 1.138 OPS, 38 hits, 23 runs, 17 RBI and 11 home runs. In the World Series against Los Angeles, Arozarena had eight hits in six games, including three homers, and an RBI in each of the last four games. LA won but Playoff Randy introduced himself to the baseball world.
The Dodgers' recent history of flopping in the playoffs will probably be alleviated by Shohei Ohtani — whose excellence should still translate to the postseason in his first time there — but adding Arozarena would help Los Angeles' lineup be even deeper.
The Rays seem to be ready to trade some high-level players as their playoff hopes sink. They sent Tyler Glasnow to the Dodgers this past offseason, indicating a desire to reload and rebuild slower. Along with Isaac Paredes and Yandy Diaz, Randy Arozarena seems likely to be on a new team by next week. The Dodgers should do what they can to make sure that that new team is them.
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