Tampa Bay Rays: Randy Arozarena escapes charges in Mexico
Tampa Bay Rays slugger Randy Arozarena is a free man as charges will not be pursued following his arrest in Mexico.
On Tuesday, Randy Arozarena had seen his star potentially crumble. The Tampa Bay Rays outfielder was arrested in Mexico, being accused of attempting to forcibly take his daughter from his ex-wife and beating up his former father-in-law. Arozarena was waiting in prison for charges to be filed, his future in baseball potentially hanging in the balance.
It turns out that Arozarena had nothing to worry about. On Thursday, he was released from custody as a judge determined that there was not enough evidence to move forward with charges.
A Yucatán newspaper reports #Rays OF Randy Arozarena has been released after a 48-hour hold. His attorney said a judge determined there was not enough evidence to pursue charges after a custody dispute involving his young daughter and her mother. https://t.co/sJB6Sg72Ty
— John Romano (@romano_tbtimes) November 26, 2020
This does not necessarily mean that he will escape punishment entirely. Major League Baseball does have the authority to discipline players for their actions off the field even if they do not face criminal charges. Arozarena is not out of the woods just yet.
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Nonetheless, both Arozarena and the Rays can breathe a sigh of relief. He is expected to be a major part of the Rays offense next season, a possible favorite for the AL Rookie of the Year heading into 2021. He could also be something that the Rays need – a young star that not only can they build around, but can be the face of the franchise for years to come.
It is easy to understand the excitement surrounding the young outfielder. He had produced a solid .281/.382/.641 batting line, slugging seven homers over his 76 plate appearances during the regular season. As impressive as that was, Arozarena turned on the jets in the postseason, shattering records left and right as he hammered his way into the spotlight.
And he will get that chance to build off his impressive run in the playoffs next year. As he has escaped charges and a term in prison, Arozarena will be able to be a part of the Rays plans going forward.
Tampa Bay Rays slugger Randy Arozarena is a free man as charges will not be pursued following his arrest in Mexico.
While we may never truly know what happened, one thing is certain – Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena will not be facing charges in Mexico.