Tampa Bay Rays: Randy Arozarena looking to join historic playoff club
With seven home runs, Tampa Bay Rays slugger Randy Arozarena is poised to join the historic eight-HR postseason club. Only Barry Bonds, Carlos Beltran, and Nelson Cruz have accomplished this feat.
Through 14 games in the MLB Playoffs, Randy Arozarena has been virtually unstoppable. The 25-year-old outfielder is batting .382, slugging .855, with seven home runs and 10 RBIs for the Tampa Bay Rays.
The result? He’s carried his Tampa Bay roster and offense all the way to the World Series. This marks the franchise’s second World Series appearance and the first since 2008.
After defeating the Houston Astros in seven games in the ALCS, Arozarena was named the ALCS MVP. He’s just the fourth rookie, and first rookie position player, to be named the MVP of an LCS. The rookie hit .321 with four home runs throughout the ALCS.
In addition to his brilliance during the 2020 postseason, Arozarena sits on the cusp of making MLB history. With seven postseason home runs, the outfielder sits one shy of another MLB record.
Randy Arozarena is making a name for himself 😤
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 18, 2020
7 HRs this #postseason pic.twitter.com/T4f7hMRiwl
Only three names in MLB history have ever clobbered eight postseason home runs. The list is full of Hall of Fame talent. Barry Bonds accomplished this feat in 2002 with the San Francisco Giants. Carlos Beltran knocked eight home runs in 2004 with the Astros and Nelson Cruz did so in 2011 with the Texas Rangers.
Surprisingly, none of these postseason performances have resulted in a World Series title. Arozarena will have at least four games, and potentially seven, to hit his eighth home run this postseason. Although, superstitious Tampa Bay Rays fans may hope his home run output sits at seven in exchange for a championship.
Here’s a look back at the only three players in MLB history to clobber eight home runs in a single postseason.
Barry Bonds – 2002
When looking back at the MLB in 2002, the league belonged to Barry Bonds. Ahead of the 2002 season, Bonds resigned a five-year, $90 million contract with the San Francisco Giants. This was one year after Bonds broke the single-season home run record, hitting 73 in 2001.
Bonds took home the 2002 NL MVP award after hitting a career-high .370 and added 46 home runs. The league’s pitchers quivered in fear when the slugger came to the plate. He drew an MLB-record 198 walks that season with 68 of them coming intentionally.
Throw out the logic of throwing strikes. When Bonds was at the plate, especially with runners on, it was better to give him the free pass then watch him clobber home runs.
And this trend continued into the postseason. Throughout the postseason, Bonds walked 27 times in 74 plate appearances, 13 intentionally. Yet, the slugger did everything in his power to win his only championship that season.
Bonds hit eight home runs throughout the 2002 postseason, including four times in the seven-game World Series against the Los Angeles Angels.
2002 World Series. Game 2. Barry Bonds’ monster home run into right field.
— Randy Cruz (@randyjcruz) July 1, 2020
“That’s the furthest ball I’ve ever seen hit” - Tim Salmon pic.twitter.com/WRPq01tMcl
His game two moon-shot off closer Troy Percival was perhaps the most memorable. Of course, Bonds never won a championship in his illustrious career. Ultimately, the Angels prevailed in seven games. John Lackey was phenomenal in game seven, leading to a 4-1 victory and World Series title for the Angels.
Carlos Beltran – 2004
At the start of the 2004 campaign, Carlos Beltran was a talented five-tool player stuck on a bad Kansas City Royals team. His career narrative changed that season after being traded to the Astros in June.
Beltran blossomed after the trade and hoisted his name to a superstar level. In 90 games with Houston in 2004, Beltran hit .258 with 23 home runs, 53 RBIs, and 28 stolen bases. Down the stretch, the Astros went 36-10 and clinched the NL Wild Card on the final day of the regular season.
Of course, the story gets better. Just two seasons after Bonds did the unthinkable with eight postseason home runs, Beltran matched his mark.
Beltran was unconscious in the NLDS and NLCS. He hit two home runs in the NLDS game five clincher over the Atlanta Braves. In the first four games of the NLCS against the St. Louis Cardinals, Beltran went deep once in each game.
Throughout 12 games in the 2004 postseason, Beltran .435 with eight homers, six steals, 14 RBIs, and a .536 OBP in 12 games. Despite his brilliance, Beltran was unable to hit any long balls in the final three games of the NLCS. St. Louis won games six and seven earning a World Series matchup against the Boston Red Sox.
Nelson Cruz – 2011
Nelson Cruz, a prolific power hitter, made his MLB debut in 2005. The late-bloomer could be described as average through his first few full seasons. But then, in the 2010 postseason, Cruz made a name for himself.
Cruz launched six home runs in the 2010 postseason, boosting the Texas Rangers to a World Series appearance. But, in 2011, he did himself one better.
The 2011 postseason started off slow for Cruz. Cruz went homerless and just 1-for-15 in the ALDS. The rest is history.
Cruz took home the 2011 ALCS MVP award after clobbering six home runs against the Detroit Tigers. His six home runs are the most by an individual player in a single postseason series. Cruz knocked two home runs in game two of the ALCS, including a grand slam.
dark. Next. Seager makes postseason history
Throughout the postseason, Cruz hit .226 with eight home runs, 16 RBIs, and a .645 slugging percentage. Unfortunately, the Cardinals topped Texas in seven games during the 2011 World Series.