Rays' Arozarena a hit in postseason play

Randy Arozarena might have been a relative unknown to Tampa fans even a month ago. That's not the case anymore.

The No. 19 Rays prospect homered, singled twice and scored two runs, but it wasn't enough to overcome the four Yankee home runs that propelled the Bronx Bombers to a 9-3 win in Game 1 of the American League Division Series.

On the heels of a strong performance in Tampa Bay's two-game sweep of Toronto in its Wild Card series, Arozarena has gone 7-for-12 with four extra-base hits through three playoff games.

he four Yankee home runs that propelled the Bronx Bombers to a 9-3 win in Game 1 of the American League Division Series.

On the heels of a strong performance in Tampa Bay's two-game sweep of Toronto in its Wild Card series, Arozarena has gone 7-for-12 with four extra-base hits through three playoff games.

“It just seems like once he gets pitched tough or he swings and misses on a pitch, it’s like he puts it in his memory bank -- and if you go back to that pitch, he’s ready for it,” Rays manager Kevin Cash told MLB.com last week. “That’s the sign of a really, really good hitter that can make adjustments within the at-bat or from at-bat to at-bat in a game.”

The 25-year-old erased a 1-0 deficit with a solo homer to center field off Yankees ace Gerrit Cole in the first inning. Arozarena notched his third consecutive multi-hit effort with a leadoff single to right in the third and scored on Ji-Man Choi's two-run blast. He singled to right again to start off the fifth and was retired on a line drive to shortstop Gleyber Torres to end the seventh. Ironically, the 111-mph lineout was Arozarena's hardest hit ball of the night.

The native of Havana, Cuba spent the first month of the regular season at the Rays' alternate training site. Promoted to the Majors on Aug. 30, Arozarena made an immediate impact, homering four times in his first seven games and finishing 2020 with a .281/.382/.641 slash line in 23 contests. He slugged seven homers, collected 11 RBIs and swiped four bases in four attempts to help Tampa Bay claim its third AL East title and first since 2010.

“You don’t expect guys to have [that type of success] immediately, for sure,” Rays hitting coach Chad Mottola said. “But the fact that he’s done it isn’t surprising. I saw him on video, and I didn’t know much about him when we were looking to acquire him, and I immediately lit up. He stands out immediately.”

Sixth-ranked Rays prospect Shane McClanahan made his Major League debut in the ninth, becoming the first pitcher in the modern era to make his first appearance during a playoff game. He gave up a hit and a walk, but didn't allow a run over one-third of an inning.