Randy Arozarena’s bat spike had meaning to this Mariners season

Jorge Polanco had the game-winning home run in the Seattle Mariners’ 4-2 opening day victory over the Athletics on Thursday night. But the home run that may be remembered best from that game came a few hitters earlier.

And it’s one that may have set a different tone for the Mariners this season under manager Dan Wilson.

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With the Mariners trailing 2-1 in the top of the eighth inning, left fielder Randy Arozarena was served an 0-2 slider on a platter by Athletics reliever José Leclerc. And the one-time All-Star and former Rookie of the Year demolished it for a 110.7 mph, 424-foot blast to tie the game.

Arozarena, who is in his first full season with the Mariners after joining the team in a trade deadline swap with the Tampa Bay Rays last July, let loose after the swing with a emphatic spike of his bat before he circled the bases.

Mariners insider Shannon Drayer of Seattle Sports shared an interesting perspective on the meaning behind that celebration in the first game of 162 when she joined Brock and Salk on Friday morning.

“What I love about that is his reaction to that home run was for the team,” said Drayer, who interviewed Arozarena on the field for the Seattle Sports radio broadcast right after the game (see the video at the top of this post).

“The bat spike was to the team. Everything was to the team, and he said to me at the moment he just felt kind of a ‘good anger’ that he had to to let out. And I think everybody in that building kind of let it out along with him.”

RANDY AROZARENA. 🔱

📻: @SeattleSports pic.twitter.com/youn437w4w

— Seattle Sports (@SeattleSports) March 28, 2025

October may be six long months away, but Drayer believes that was on Arozarena’s mind when he came up to the plate in the eighth inning Thursday. And that’s something that Wilson, who is also in his first full year in his new position with the Mariners after being named the skipper last August, emphasized in spring training according to Drayer.

“(Arozarena’s) focus, and he was talking about it at the end of the game – you know, we want to be there in October. We got a long way to go. This is great, but that (was the) focus right then and there, and that perhaps was what was on his mind when he stepped up to the plate. And that is something that Dan Wilson had been enforcing throughout spring training – we’re not going to kind of work our way into this. It’s ‘go.’ And I think there’s a broad vision in that.”

The other side of Randy

The 30-year-old Arozarena has a history of big moments in the spotlight in his career, but there wasn’t much of that when he came to Seattle last season. Thursday’s opener was a glimpse into his reputation as a big game player, as well as how he has two sides to his personality – not dissimilar to Mariners opening day starter Logan Gilbert, who is referred to as the alter ego “Walter” when he’s on the mound.

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“I’m sort of fascinated by (Arozarena),” Seattle Sports’ Mike Salk said in the conversation with Drayer. “I think he’s an incredibly unique, talented player. But beyond the talent is this personality that is somewhat rare in baseball. He’s not loud – he’s a quiet guy, as I know you’ve alluded to many times. But something changes when he’s in the spotlight. … We talk about the ‘Walter’ side of Logan. This other side, the star side of Randy, is so opposite to who he is the rest of the time. It’s fascinating to me.”

Related: The Mariners need the real Randy Arozarena in 2025

“Yeah, and he goes right back to it too,” Drayer replied. “Once the trident’s put away (following the home run celebration in the Mariners dugout), he’s kind of stoic Randy once again. It is fascinating to watch.

“He picked his moment. He picked a great moment right then and there, celebrated it and then got back out there.”

Hear the full Brock and Salk conversation with Mariners insider Shannon Drayer in the podcast at this link or in the player near the top of this post. Catch Brock and Salk from 6-10 a.m. weekdays on Seattle Sports.

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