For Carlos Correa and Randy Arozarena specifically, 2024 was an embarrassing year.
These are two of the biggest playoff performers of the last ten years. Correa was a perennial machine with the Astros during their postseason runs, Arozarena made a name for himself as a destroyer in 2020 with the Rays, they wouldn't be as legendary without those postseason numbers. Last year, both were on teams with clear shots at October. Correa, as he had been, was a star for the Twins, who had been thick in the wild card race all year. Randy Arozarena was traded midyear to the Mariners, who revitalized his ailing swing and were still close enough to Houston to look to compete. Neither team made the playoffs. The Twins were lapped by both Kansas City and Detroit, and the Mariners couldn't compete with any of them despite the best rotation in the bigs.
It must have been a little nice for them that the Astros were eliminated immediately and the Rays didn't even make it. But it still hurt.
Correa honestly has become a fascinating MLB figure. He hasn't had a full career drop-off, like somebody like Javier Baez or Anthony Rendon, but his Twins years have been less overwhelmingly dominant. Last year Correa was on top of his game again, hitting .300 and leading his team...and then he got injured. This is his 11th season in the bigs, which is wild considering I was in Chicago for one of Correa's first games for the Astros. The man has compiled 63 postseason RBIs, and has a 44.3 career WAR, so clearly he's accomplished a lot. But my worry is that, like a lot of great players, his stats will continue to peter off during his 30s. This is his age 30 season after all, the true test. I picked Correa up for my fantasy team, mostly because I was surprised he was still there. He's still capable of great things absolutely, but we're in the hazard zone in a sense.
Correa does seem to have a decent enough Twins team this year, with basically every position prepared with viable backups like Harrison Bader, Jose Miranda and Brooks Lee. Already this has come in handy, as Royce Lewis, once again, will be missing time. There's also the possibility that Byron Buxton could as well. If enough things go according to plan this team could make a deep run, as...these things tend to happen every other year in the Baldelli era, but it will take a lot of people, Correa included, staying healthy.
Arozarena is slightly more complex. He came in as a multifaceted hitter with power perks and postseason readiness, but since his ROY season his dimensions have lessened. It may shock you to learn that Randy Arozarena has never hit more than 23 home runs in a season, and still has yet to attain a 100 RBI year. This will be HIS age 30 season, and 2024 was already seen as a step down for him. He hit .211 and struck out 101 times. And I think, after the trade to Seattle, he accomplished more in less time, yet still only hit .231. The perks with Arozarena are outrageous, and the Mariners traded for him to ensure they had people in their lineup that could hit, which were becoming more and more rare last year. But I think even he struggled to do so.
The #1 goal for the Mariners this year will be to avoid the lineup black hole that conquered the team. The rotation isn't currently much of an issue- George Kirby will be out for a bit, but Emerson Hancock can step in for a spell, and the other four look good. But if any offensive production can come from people like Julio Rodriguez, Jorge Polanco, Mitch Garver, J.P. Crawford and Mitch Haniger, that would quiet the critics of this team. And to their credit, Garver, Polanco, Ryan Bliss, Donovan Solano, Victor Robles, Luke Raley and, yes, Arozarena himself, have looked a ton better this spring. But against teams that didn't have as much issues hitting last year in that same division, it only looks so impressive.
Now, both the Twins and Mariners look to rebound and compete again, but it won't be easy for either team. In the AL Central, the Guardians, Royals and Tigers still look intimidating and competitive. In the AL West, the Rangers and Astros at least made palpable moves. I'd love for both of these teams to be competitive this year, and fall on good luck, but it won't be easy, and a lot has to fall into line.
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