Randy Arozarena Becomes First Cuban-Born Player With Six Consecutive 20-20 Seasons

September 2, 2026

Cuban outfielder Randy Arozarena delivered one of the most remarkable individual performances of the 2026 Major League Baseball season on August 23, launching a leadoff home run on the very first pitch of the game and adding a walk-off home run on the final pitch, as the Seattle Mariners beat the Chicago Cubs 5-4 at T-Mobile Park.

The opening blast, a 416-foot shot off David Peterson, was Arozarena's 20th home run of the year and secured his sixth consecutive season with at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases, making him the first Cuban-born player in MLB history to reach that mark. He joins an elite group that includes Barry Bonds, who holds the all-time record with nine consecutive 20-20 seasons, and Hall of Famer Willie Mays.

Arozarena also made a home-run-saving catch at the T-Mobile Park warning track to rob Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya in the third inning, then closed out the game with his walk-off shot off reliever Jacob Webb. According to MLB.com, he became just the seventh player in major league history to hit a leadoff and a walk-off home run in the same game, and one of only three to do so on the literal first and last pitches his team saw that day.

The Pinar del Río native left Cuba in 2015 after playing for Vegueros de Pinar del Río in the National Series, before establishing himself with the St. Louis Cardinals and setting the single-postseason home run record with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2020, when he was named American League Championship Series MVP. He has played for the Mariners since a mid-2024 trade.