In a  6-1 loss to the Athletics last night, Seattle Mariners outfielder Randy Arozarena at least made a piece of MLB history.
Having reached base with a single in the top of the fourth inning, Arozarena – an incredibly aggressive baserunner – stole second base against the Athletics’ battery of Luis Severino and Shea Langeliers. He made it fairly comfortably, and in doing so, Arozarena swiped his 20th bag on the season.
Having hit his 20th home run three days ago against the Los Angeles Angels, Arozarena now has 20 in both categories, putting him into the 20/20 club for the fifth consecutive season. And in doing so, Arozarena also became just the tenth player in the 150-year history of Major League Baseball to hit those marks for that long,
Arozarena Passes Into Elite Territory
Only 22 players in MLB history have five 20-20 seasons, and only ten have done so consecutively. The others in history to have done it in five straight – Darryl Strawberry, Kirk Gibson, Howard Johnson, Barry Bonds (who did it nine years in a row), his father Bobby Bonds (seven in a row, and ten out of 11), Bobby Abreu (seven), Eric Davis, Willie Mays (six), and current Cleveland Guardians infielder Jose Ramirez, who achieved the feat earlier this month.
One more season of this would put Arozarena into even more rarefied area. Only ten players have ever had at least six 20/20 seasons, and that list features great names of the game. Not seemingly slowing down any and still only 30 years of age, there is a very good chance that Randy joins that club if he avoids injury.
Naturally, Arozarena – as exuberant as ever – celebrated by ripping out the base he had just stolen. And he was allowed to keep it.
Mariners Still Going OK
The loss drops the Mariners’ record on the season to 57-51, 4.0 games back of the Houston Astros in the American League West, and now only one game ahead of the streaking Texas Rangers. However, they are currently in the provisional wildcard spots, ahead of the Rangers, and three games ahead of the faltering Tampa Bay Rays – who traded Arozarena away last season.
With Big Dumper Cal Raleigh having one of the best offensive seasons by a catcher of all time – and perhaps the best – the Mariners are producing 4.52 runs per game, the 12th-best mark in the league. As great as Raleigh has been, the Mariners are not overly reliant on him, sporting five All-Stars this year including young outfield star Julio Rodriguez.
In two home runs’ time, Rodriguez will have 20 homers of his own, which will see him break the 20/20 barrier for the fourth time in his career – in only four attempts. The 24-year-old upstart will soon leave the relative-veteran 30-year-old Arozarena in his dust. For now, though, this is Randy’s week. His talent, and his unflinching abilities in it, has now put his name in the company of Bonds, Mays and Bonds.
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