BALTIMORE — Rays players, staffers and social media posters have made the case repeatedly over the last several weeks for first baseman Jonathan Aranda to be honored as an American League All-Star.
Saturday afternoon, he took matters into his own hands.
As if his .330 average, .411 on-base percentage (both third best in the majors) and .915 OPS (10th best), and the metronome-like consistency of his swing weren’t enough, Aranda on Saturday flexed his muscles.
He launched a first-inning homer in the Rays’ 11-3 bounceback win over the Orioles that was an absolute blast, soaring over the right-centerfield fence and landing on Eutaw Street between the stadium and the warehouse building, estimated at a staggering 467 feet.
The reactions on the field told you something, most notably Orioles rightfielder Ramon Laureano not flinching an inch as the ball jetted overhead.
The numbers told you some other things:
It was the longest homer by a left-handed hitter at Camden Yards in nearly 20 years (since stat-tracking started in 2008) and possibly longer.
It was the third longest by a Ray in at least the 11 years of the Statcast era, trailing only blasts by Avisail Garcia (485 feet, 2019) and Mike Zunino (472, 2021).
And it was the latest data point in a strong list of reasons why Aranda — who was been passed over in the fan voting — deserves to be in Atlanta for the July 15 game, either elected by the players or appointed by Major League Baseball.
“Can we get him to Atlanta, please? Like, please? Golly, he’s so good,” said outfielder Jake Mangum, who rapped three singles in the win that moved the Rays (47-36) within a half game of the AL East-leading Yankees. “Watching him hit every day, and I’m on deck sometimes watching him hit, it is fun to watch that dude swing a baseball bat.”
![The Rays' Jonathan Aranda celebrates his two-run home run during the first inning. It was estimated at a staggering 467 feet.](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 620 413"/%3E "The Rays' Jonathan Aranda celebrates his two-run home run during the first inning. It was estimated at a staggering 467 feet.")
The Rays’ Jonathan Aranda celebrates his two-run home run during the first inning. It was estimated at a staggering 467 feet. [ NICK WASS | AP ]
If he was an opposing pitching coach, Mangum said, he wouldn’t know how to pitch Aranda.
“One of the most just pure hitters I’ve seen in the game, and he’s got pop,” Mangum said. “… I would love to hear the debate on why he shouldn’t (be an All-Star), but he absolutely deserves to be there.”
Rays starter Zack Littell, who worked a solid seven innings, had already felt strongly about Aranda’s candidacy. He raved about the home run.
“It looked like just a flick of the wrist, and he hit it (nearly) 470 feet. It was crazy,” Littell said. “I’ve said it a million times, it’s almost not impressive, because it’s just what we expect him to do. But awesome to watch him do it.
Stay updated on Tampa Bay’s sports scene
Subscribe to our free Sports Today newsletter
We’ll send you news and analysis on the Bucs, Lightning, Rays and Florida’s college football teams every day.
You’re all signed up!
Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started.
“The guy obviously deserves to be an All-Star. He’s just continued to hit all year. His cold streaks are one hit a night instead of three. He’s incredible.”
Aranda said he didn’t know when he first made contact with Zach Eflin’s 3-2 fastball that he had made history.
“I knew it was going to be a home run but never that it was going to be (467) feet,” he said via team interpreter Eddie Rodriguez. “Sometimes you don’t know what you have in storage there. So I was surprised, and it feels good.”
Aranda is 27 and in his first full season in the majors, having been limited by injuries and a lack of opportunity over the past few years.
He clearly wants the All-Star honor but is savvy enough to know that while he has better stats in almost every category, the two players who finished ahead of him in the public vote, Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Paul Goldschmidt, have earned their place among fans.
“I’m happy. I’m very appreciative of all the people that voted for me, but there are also other All-Stars that deserve that,” Aranda said. “I’m aware of how the system works, and whatever God decides, that’s what’s going to be.”
Littell seems to think Aranda won’t have to resort to that high of an authority, that the players when they vote this week will recognize Aranda’s accomplishments and reward him with the backup first base spot.
“As a player, you know the guys around the league,” Littell said. “Anyone who’s played against us, which is almost the entire league at this point, has seen Jonathan Aranda hit. I don’t think any team has come to us and he’s been cold for three straight games. We all know he can hit.
“I think the players know the guys who should be in as well as, obviously, the social media stuff; they’re pumping it out there. The guys that won the fan vote, that’s awesome for them. But you also see the list, and then you end up going to look at the guys’ numbers, like Jonathan Aranda.”
The Rays’ Yandy Diaz, left, celebrates his three-run home run during the fourth inning, extending Tampa Bay’s lead to 8-0. [ NICK WASS | AP ]
Rays manager Kevin Cash said what stands out to him has been Aranda’s consistency, which now includes a 13-game hitting streak and 16-game on-base streak, and a .376 average through his last 31 games.
Littell had a similar take.
“If he gets the pitch he’s looking for, he doesn’t miss,” Littell said. “And if he never gets the pitch he’s looking for, he still usually hits it. He goes out there every night, he knows exactly what he wants to do. His cage work is impressive. He’s got a great routine. And he just continues to hit. So, there’s not many guys in the game that have done what he has done over this stretch. So, obviously, hope to see him playing on the (All-Star) break.”
So, too, does infielder/outfielder Jose Caballero: “He’s one of the best, and it’s no question about it. I don’t know, the voting is kind of, like, weird. He deserves to be there. Hopefully he will be there.”
The results of the player vote and MLB’s six appointments to fill out the roster, and making sure all teams are represented, will be announced next Sunday.
Aranda will be hoping.
“It would be something big,” he said. “Being an All-Star is something that everybody dreams about. And it would be a legacy in my career.”
• • •
Sign up for our Sports Today newsletter to get daily updates on the Bucs, Rays, Lightning and college football across Florida.
Every weekday, tune into our Sports Day Tampa Bay podcast to hear reporter Rick Stroud break down the biggest stories in Tampa Bay sports.
Never miss out on the latest with your favorite Tampa Bay sports teams. Follow our coverage on X and Facebook.