MLB
Randy Arozarena Has Gone From Postseason Hero to Detained Suspect
Mike Thomas spent 23 years on staff and 16 years as the sports editor at The Herald News in Fall River, Mass., before joining Sportscasting in 2020. Mike has a deep knowledge of and passion for the NFL and NBA, and he excels at interviewing sports celebrities to find out their Super Bowl picks. A New England Newspaper and Press Association award-winning columnist and an avid sports memorabilia collector, Mike enjoys keeping up with all the sports news and the works of former Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly. You can find more of Mike's work on Muck Rack.
All posts by Mike ThomasUpdated25 Nov 2020
Tampa Bay Rays fans were cheering on their beloved rookie outfielder Randy Arozarena during the Major League Baseball playoffs this year. Arozarena came out of nowhere to become the MVP of the American League Championship Series. Now Arozarena is reportedly being detained in Mexico for a situation involving allegations of domestic abuse.
Randy Arozarena’s baseball career
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Randy Arozarena made his Major League Baseball debut on Aug. 14, 2019, and made an immediate impact for the St. Louis Cardinals by going 2-for-4 against the Kansas City Royals. Arozarena, a 5-foot-11 outfielder, played in 19 games to close out the 2019 season with the Cardinals. He hit .300 with a home run and a pair of stolen bases.
After the 2019 season, Arozarena was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays. Arozarena was part of a crowded Rays outfield and didn’t get a whole lot of playing time in the big leagues. He played in just 23 regular-season games for the Rays.
In those 23 games, Arozarena showed some pop. In 64 at-bats, he smacked seven homers and drove in 11 runs. Arozarena finished the 2020 regular season with a .281 batting average. He also stole four bases during that stretch.
Arozarena became a postseason hero
In parts of two Major League Baseball seasons, Randy Arozarena was an unknown commodity. In those two seasons, he played for two teams and combined to play in 42 games. He heated up in his 2020 season with the Tampa Bay Rays, collecting seven home runs in 23 games.
Arozarena made a name for himself during Tampa Bay’s impressive postseason run. Arozarena played in three series as Tampa Bay made its way into the 2020 World Series. In each series, he smacked at least three home runs. During the ALDS against the New York Yankees, he hit .421 and finished with three homers.
During the ALCS against the Houston Astros, Arozarena hit four home runs in 28 at-bats. He was named the MVP of the series and helped guide the Rays to the World Series. Despite losing the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games, Arozarena added three more home runs, giving him 10 for the postseason.
Arozarena now detained in Mexico
According to ESPN, Randy Arozarena is being detained in Mexico’s Yucatan state. The issue involves a situation of allegations of domestic abuse with his former partner. Arozarena hasn’t been formally charged as Mexican law typically allows a two-day window for prosecutors to decide whether or not to file charges.
Both the Tampa Bay Rays and the MLB commissioner’s office issued very brief statements on the matter. “We are aware of reports that Randy Arozarena was detained in Mexico,” the Rays said in their statement. “We are gathering more information on this situation, and we have no further comment at this time.”
The commissioner’s office simply said, “We are aware and looking into it.”
