Randy Arozarena has a huge fan ... himself

Every day, the Rays learn more and more about breakout star Randy Arozarena. So do the Yankees. So does the baseball world at large.

Game	Date	Result	Highlights
Gm 1	Oct. 5	NYY 9, TB 3	Watch
Gm 2	Oct. 6	TB 7, NYY 5	Watch
Gm 3	Oct. 7	TB 8, NYY 4	Watch
Gm 4	Oct. 8	NYY 5, TB 1	Watch
Gm 5	Oct. 9	TB 2, NYY 1	Watch

All times ET

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By now, everyone knows one thing about Arozarena: he can hit. That much is clear, after he's gone 12-for-20 with six extra-base hits over his first five games this postseason, including homers in each of the first three games of the American League Division Series against the Yankees. Arozarena's manager, Kevin Cash, calls him “the Cuban Mookie Betts.” Tyler Glasnow calls him “the best player on earth right now.”

• 'He stands out': Arozarena's star on the rise

We also know Arozarena loves playing soccer, and that his brother, Raiko, is a professional goalie in Mexico. We know his secret might be the magic cowboy boots he wears before every game. With every October hit, Arozarena's legend grows and grows.

Here are four more amazing facts about the Rays’ newest sensation:

1. He’s a fan, too … of himself
Asked Thursday which players he admired growing up, Arozarena walked through his formative years in Cuba and mentioned Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel, who starred in the Cuban National Series before defecting to the United States.

But then he audibled, and clarified:

“My favorite player is Randy Arozarena,” he said, grinning widely.

Consider it the kind of moxie Arozarena says he brings into every at-bat, as well as an opinion shared by the Rays writ large right now. When informed of Arozarena’s comments a short while later, Cash didn’t hesitate in saying, “I agree with him!”

“I like to get in the box with confidence every time to help and support my team any way I can,” Arozarena said.

2. His quarantine workout was on point
Forced to stay in shape on his own in a Florida apartment during the pandemic, Arozarena created his own unique fitness routine: chicken and rice for most meals, and 300 pushups per day. That’s right, 300 pushups per day. He says he can do at least 50 in a row.

“I don’t really keep track,” Arozarena said. “It’s more for maintenance, to feel good before I go out there and play.”

The result was 15 pounds of extra muscle, which Arozarena was able to keep on despite a positive COVID-19 diagnosis that forced him to sit out Summer Camp. On the field, his strength is plain to see, with teammates and opponents alike marveling at the hand and bat speed Arozarena is able to produce from his 5-foot-11, 185-pound frame.

3. He’s on the hunt for October redemption
This isn’t Arozarena’s first postseason: He got into five NLDS and NL Championship Series games for the Cardinals last October, going hitless mostly as a late-game replacement. But he made headlines nonetheless, for just about the exact opposite reason he is now.

What happened? Arozarena briefly found himself in the news cycle after he unknowingly live streamed Cardinals manager Mike Shildt’s profanity-laced congratulations speech following St. Louis’ NLDS-clinching win over the Braves. It was an embarrassing moment for the Cardinals, and Arozarena, who speaks little English, apologized. But he was traded to the Rays with José Martínez for pitching prospect Matthew Liberatore the following January.

So far, this postseason is going much better.

“I just took it as a learning experience,” Arozarena told MLB.com’s Juan Toribio. “I was filming because it was my first season in the Majors. I’m just happy and excited … I went live to celebrate us winning and the manager came in. I don’t know what the manager is saying. I think he’s just congratulating us, and I am just happy and excited to be there. I genuinely didn’t know what was happening. Then once I uploaded it, that’s when people told me what the manager was saying. I just took it as a learning experience so it never happens again.”

4. He might be about to face off against his hero
Since arriving in the States in 2017, Arozarena said he’s spoken to Gurriel and picked his brain from time to time. But the two have never opposed each other in a big league game which will soon change, as the Astros and Rays punched tickets to the ALCS. It’s a potential matchup Arozarena is looking forward to.

“He could hit, he could run, he could throw, he could do a little bit of everything,” Arozarena said. “I respected his swing and the aggressiveness he played with. … He’s given me advice: to keep working hard and to stick to your game plan and keep your own personal characteristics unique in this game.”