Randy Arozarena isn’t simply a Yankees-killer.
The Rays outfielder, who tormented the Yankees throughout the ALDS, also crushed Houston pitching during the ALCS and hit another homer in Tampa Bay’s 4-2 win in Game 7 on Saturday night.
It was his seventh homer of the postseason, a record for a rookie. Afterwards, he was named MVP of the series.
“The ball is looking good,’’ Arozarena said through an interpreter.
Arozarena’s two-run shot in the bottom of the first gave the Rays a 2-0 lead, and they never looked back.
“Randy, what he did was pretty miraculous,’’ Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. “I don’t have any words to describe what he’s done and what he’s meant for this team. For him to have a bat in his hands, with an opportunity for a big home run, settled a lot of people in the dugout. It certainly did me.”
Randy Arozarena belts a two-run homer in the first inning of the Rays’ 4-2 ALCS-clinching Game 7 win over the Astros.Getty ImagesThe 25-year-old will now get a chance to show what he can do on the grandest stage of all, as Arozarena helped get the Rays to the World Series, where they will face the winner of Sunday’s NLCS Game 7 between the Dodgers and Braves.
Whatever team the Rays play will have their work cut out for them, as Arozarena has pounded opposing pitching throughout this year, after being called up in late August following his recovery from COVID-19.
And even before that, he hit at every level he played at a year ago in the Cardinals’ organization before St. Louis traded the Cuban-born Arozarena last offseason, prompting Houston manager Dusty Baker to wonder aloud on Friday, “I’m just trying to figure out how the Cardinals got rid of him.”
Arozarena’s postseason hot streak began in Tampa Bay’s wild-card series win over the Blue Jays, when he had four extra-base hits in two games.
That turned out to be just a prelude to what Arozarena would do against the Yankees, when he went 8-for-12 with three homers in the first three games of the ALDS before going hitless in the final two games of the series.
“Every mistake he’s gotten, he’s barreled up,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said after Game 3 of the ALDS. “We’ve got to find a way to keep him in check.”
Kyle Higashioka had a similar take after that game: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen before where a guy punishes every single mistake. We can’t get away with anything against him right now. It’s been pretty frustrating.’’
The Astros can relate.
He homered in Games 1, 4 and 5 of the ALCS and had multi-hit games in Games 2 and 3.
Then Arozarena, with one out and one on in the bottom of the first, homered off Lance McCullers Jr.
In 14 games, he’s 21-for-55 with 11 extra-base hits — including the seven homers — and an OPS of 1.288.
“I wouldn’t say I was chasing the MVP [award for the series],’’ Arozarena said. “But I’d do anything for the team.”




