A Guardians-Rays trade to ignite OF and slumping All-Star alike
The Cleveland Guardians have completely turned the baseball world on its head this season by storming out to the best record in baseball through the middle of June. They've been tremendously dominant, and they've placed themselves in the perfect position to buy before the 2024 MLB trade deadline.
One place where the Guardians could look to upgrade is in the outfield. There's a high-ceiling trade piece that they could pursue by way of the Tampa Bay Rays.
That trade piece is the struggling former All-Star, Randy Arozarena.
A Guardians-Rays trade to give Randy Arozarena a fresh start in Cleveland
If the Rays opt to sell, Randy Arozarena could become available as a "change of scenery" kind of target, meaning he has the talent and he could use a fresh start in order to turn his season around. He's slashing .189/.303/.344 with 10 homers and 10 stolen bases on the year.
But he's been better in June, where he's slashing .279/.425/.441 on the month. The power and speed are still there. He just needs to confidence and to continue to put solid bat to ball. He could desperately use a reset in a contending situation like what is offered in Cleveland and the Guardians could offer the prospects to get him.
To acquire Arozarena, it's going to take a deal a bit more expensive than many fans believe. Many fans will be quick to discredit the Rays' outfielder for his low batting average, but he comes with a few years of team control and a boatload of potential. He's proven that he can hit at the big-league level and that he just needs to find that version of himself again. No prospect in baseball has proven they can hit big-league pitching until they get there and do it.
In the deal, Cleveland would be sending their seventh and 20th-ranked prospects to the Rays to acquire the services of Randy Arozarena.
Valera is a high-ceiling, low-floor bat. There's always a chance that he won't hit above .220, but his power potential is good enough that this has been overlooked. If he puts the pieces together to cut down on strikeouts, he could be a serious impact bat. It seems he's a bit far away from reaching his potential though.
Mooney is a much more complete prospect and has shown a good ability to get on base and make an impact when he gets there. He's slashing .279/.343/.450 on the season with 27 stolen bases.
The Guardians would be getting a former All-Star and Rookie of the Year winner to place in their lineup for the next few seasons. If Arozarena returns to form, this trade is a huge steal for Cleveland.
This article was originally published on fansided.com as A Guardians-Rays trade to ignite OF and slumping All-Star alike .