Arozarena belts parting shot in World Series

In what turned out to be the season’s final night, Randy Arozarena took a bow.

Though it wasn’t enough to extend the World Series, Tampa Bay’s No. 19 prospect became the first player in Major League history with 10 homers in the postseason, blasting a solo shot in the first inning and adding a single as the Rays fell to the Dodgers, 3-1, in Game 6 of the Fall Classic.

With his team in need of an early jolt after falling behind in the first inning in the previous three games, Arozarena provided it Tuesday night. With one out and an 0-1 count against right-hander Tony Gonsolin, the outfielder powered an outside-corner slider over the right-field wall for his 10th homer of the playoffs, extending his Major League record.

🔟 postseason homers for the #Rays Randy Arozarena.

He is officially a video game character.pic.twitter.com/yUEQTJBMaR

— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) October 28, 2020

The mark was the latest in a slew of records for Arozarena during the expanded postseason slate. The 25-year-old finished the playoffs with 29 total hits, expanding on an Major League-best total that surpassed Pablo Sandoval's 26 knocks in 2014 with the Giants.

After striking out on a foul tip against righty Dylan Floro in the second, Arozarena punched his second hit of the night on a grounder through the left side off Pedro Báez. He lined out to center in his final at-bat in the eighth against lefty Julio Urias.

Though he won’t receive a ring, Arozarena was the breakout star of the playoffs. In 20 postseason games, the Havana native batted .377/.442/.831 with 19 runs scored and 14 RBIs. In addition to his 10 homers, he tripled once and doubled three times.

Teammate Kevin Kiermaier deemed the Cuba native the "best player on the planet" over the past couple of months. "There was a lot of things to be proud of," Kiermaier told reporters after the game.

In the World Series, Arozarena hit .364/.462/.773 with three homers and four RBIs, talling at least one hit in every game except the opener. Those performances came on the heels of an impressive regular season showing in which The outfielder batted .281/.382/.641 with seven homers and 11 RBIs after being summoned from Tampa Bay’s alternate training site in late August.

Tuesday's home run gave Arozarena the most playoff long balls in Rays' franchise history, one better than Evan Longoria's nine.

Acquired by Tampa Bay from St. Louis in January, Arozarena spent four seasons in the Cardinals system and belted 38 homers over 331 games. He spent the 2019 season with Double-A Springfield and Triple-A Memphis, batting .344/.431/.571 with 15 homers and 53 RBIs in 92 games.

With the 4-2 series victory, the Dodgers captured their first World Series title since 1988.