Potential Phillies trade target Randy Arozarena is off the board

If Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena was at the top of your trade deadline wish list for the Phillies, we have some bad news.

Arozarena was dealt early Friday morning to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for three prospects: outfielder Aidan Smith, right-handed pitcher Brody Hopkins and a player to be named later. Smith and Hopkins were the Mariners’ 14th and 15th ranked prospects respectively, according to Baseball America’s midseason Top 30.

Arozarena, 29, has rebounded after a tough start to the season. Since June 1, the right-handed hitter is slashing .284/.397/.507 with seven home run and 18 RBIs. If acquired by the Phillies, Arozarena likely would have taken over for Brandon Marsh in left field, with center potentially becoming a platoon with Marsh and Johan Rojas.

A former ALCS MVP, Arozarena’s calling card is his ability to rise up in big spots in October. Arozarena is a career .336 hitter with a 1.104 OPS in 33 playoff games. Most of that production came in the 2020 postseason, when he went 29-for-86 with a 1.273 OPS and led the Rays to the franchise’s first pennant since 2008.

The trade means one of the bigger outfield bats available is off the market. The Phillies have interest in grabbing an outfielder who could start in left field against left-handed pitching. They could think bigger and look to acquire Luis Robert Jr. from the White Sox, though multiple insiders think the Phillies are unlikely to land the star outfielder.

Trade activity is just starting to pick up around the league. The Diamondbacks acquired Marlins left-handed reliever A.J. Puk in exchange for infielder Deyvison De Los Santos and center fielder Andrew Pintar.

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