Randy Arozarena González

Randy Arozarena González, a notable Cuban baseball player from Pinar del Río, is an outfielder for the professional Cuban baseball team Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). In five years, Randy Arozarena has transitioned from playing in Cuba with Vegueros de Pinar del Río to becoming the top offensive figure for the Tampa Bay Rays, one step away from the World Series in the Major Leagues.

Previously he played for the St. Louis Cardinals. In the 2020 postseason, Arozarena set the MLB record for home runs in a single postseason. Four of them came during the 2020 American League Championship Series, which earned him the honors of MVP of the ALCS.

During the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons, Arozarena played for Vegueros de Pinar del Río of Cuba's National Series. In his final season, he produced .291 / .412 / .419 with three home runs, 24 RBIs and 15 stolen bases in 74 games.

Mexican Leagues
In 2016, Arozarena arrived in Mexico and had brief stints in the Yucatán league and with the Toros de Tijuana of the Mexican League, before playing for the Mayos de Navojoa of the Mexican Pacific League during the winter.

Arozarena signed with the St. Louis Cardinals as an international free agent in July 2016 for $1.25 million. He made his minor league debut in 2017 and spent his first full professional season with the Palm Beach Cardinals, with whom he was named All-Star of the Florida State League, and the Springfield Cardinals, with a combined .266 batting average with 11 home runs, 49 RBIs and 18 stolen bases in 121 games between both clubs. After the season, he returned to the Mexican Pacific League to play with the Mayos de Navojoa for the 2017-2018 season, where he produced .292 / .366 / .558 with 14 home runs and 37 RBIs in 64 games. That season, the Mayos reached the championship series, and although the team did not win the series, Arozarena had a go-ahead hit in the bottom of the ninth inning in Game 6. Arozarena was invited, off the roster, for Spring Training 2018. In this season he began the season with the Memphis Redbirds.

In July 2018, he was selected to represent the Cardinals in the 2018 All-Star Futures Game. Arozarena also spent time during the season with Springfield.
With Memphis, he helped them win the Pacific Coast League title and was named co-MVP of the PCL playoffs alongside his teammate Tommy Edman. In 113 games between Memphis and Springfield, he batted .274 / .359 / .433 with 12 home runs, 49 RBIs and 26 stolen bases. Arozarena returned to play for Mayos de Navojoa in 2018 for the third time, but appeared in only 15 games.

Arozarena began the 2019 season on the injured list with Memphis due to a hand fracture suffered during spring training. He returned to play in May with Springfield before being promoted to Memphis in June.

On August 12, 2019, the Cardinals selected Arozarena's contract and promoted him to the Major Leagues. He made his Major League debut on August 14 against the Kansas City Royals. In 19 games with St. Louis, Arozarena batted .300 with one home run, two RBIs and two stolen bases.

Tampa Bay Rays
On January 9, 2020, Arozarena was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays (along with José Martínez and the Cardinals' Competitive Balance Round A Draft Selection) in exchange for Matthew Liberatore, Edgardo Rodríguez and the Rays' Competitive Balance Round B Draft Selection. In 23 games for the 2020 season, Arozarena batted .281 with seven home runs and 11 RBIs.

In Game 7 of the American League Championship Series against the Houston Astros, Arozarena hit a two-run home run, surpassing Evan Longoria in most home runs by a rookie in the postseason.
Arozarena was named MVP of the American League Championship Series, becoming the first rookie position player to win the award. In the series, he batted .321 with four home runs and six RBIs.
In the World Series, Arozarena hit home runs in the third and fourth games, breaking the historical record for most home runs in a single postseason. In Game 3, he surpassed Derek Jeter in the most hits by a rookie in the postseason. In Game 5, he recorded his 27th hit in the postseason, surpassing Pablo Sandoval in the most hits in a single postseason.

Personal Life
Arozarena has a daughter named Lia who was born in Mexico in 2018. His younger brother is footballer Raiko Arozarena, who currently plays as goalkeeper for the Cafetaleros de Chiapas of the Premier League. He has said he would like to represent Mexico in the World Baseball Classic.