Randy Arozarena reached 112 runs scored this past Saturday, becoming the first Seattle Mariner to hit that mark since Ichiro Suzuki (127) and Bret Boone (118) did it in 2001 — the year that team won 116 games. Along with the milestone, Arozarena is now the AL leader in runs scored, hitting .281 with an .863 OPS over 153 games.
The 2001 Mariners: The Highest Bar in Franchise History
To understand what this milestone means, you have to go back to what 2001 was in Seattle. The Mariners won 116 games that year, tying the all-time MLB record set by the 1906 Cubs. Ichiro won both AL MVP and Rookie of the Year, hitting .350 with 242 hits. Bret Boone led the league with 141 RBI, batting .331 with 37 home runs. The fact that no Mariner reached 112 runs in 25 years says everything about how special that team was — and now says plenty about the year Arozarena is putting together.
The Mariners’ own PR account was the first to put the numbers in context: Arozarena has now outscored every player in franchise history since that legendary season. Not as a footnote in advanced metrics — as the first hard fact that shows up when you look at who has scored 112 or more runs in a Seattle uniform.
A Career Year, Right Before Free Agency
The off-field backdrop adds another layer. Arozarena — born in Cuba, Mexican national, wearing No. 56 for the Mariners — hits free agency when this season ends, with enough service time to choose his next destination. The Seattle chapter of the BBWAA already named him the team’s MVP. He made the All-Star Game for the third time (2023, 2025, 2026) and represented Mexico as the only Mexican-born player at the Midsummer Classic.
The numbers he’s bringing to the negotiating table are hard to argue with:
- AVG: .281
- OPS: .863
- Home runs: 26
- RBI: 77
- Doubles: 32
- Stolen bases: 26
- Games played: 153
And the streak that probably carries the most weight: six consecutive seasons with at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases. The only other players in MLB history to do that are Barry Bonds, Bobby Bonds, Bobby Abreu, and Willie Mays.
The bittersweet part is hard to ignore. Arozarena is putting together the best season of his time in Seattle in a year the Mariners missed the playoffs. Those 112 runs scored happened without October, without the extra pressure, without the big stage. That doesn’t erase them — but it does frame them.
The Numbers Behind the Numbers
Arozarena’s place in the AL leaderboards isn’t a fluke. Here’s what Statcast shows for his 2026 season:
- Plate appearances: 666
- Home runs / RBI: 26 / 77
- AVG / OPS: .281 / .863
- xwOBA: .348 (85th percentile in MLB)
- Average exit velocity: 90.9 mph (81st percentile)
- Barrel rate: 8.2%
- Hard-hit rate: 43.5%
- Average bat speed: 70.9 mph
