Oct 31, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) celebrates with the Commissioner’s Trophy after the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the New York Yankees in game four to win the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Former Rays Star Has Been a Top World Series Performer of Last 25 Years

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Rays on SI
By Nick Ziegler | Last updated Oct 23, 2025 10:00 AM ET

As the World Series nearly gets underway between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays, a former Rays star from their 2020 team was recently recognized for his incredible performance in the postseason that year.

With the World Series starting up, the 2025 campaign is quickly coming to a close. It has been a great season for the Blue Jays and the Dodgers and this should be an exciting matchup. For the Rays, they might not have been able to accomplish their goals, but this was a team that was playing for a title just five years ago.

Unfortunately, the World Series has still eluded the franchise, but they are confident in their process and will be hoping to have a strong offseason this winter and get back into contention in 2026.

With the World Series right around the corner and it being the quarter century mark, there have been some impressive performances by players for the last 25 years. For Tampa Bay, they had one of the best players during that span help lead them to play for a title.

Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report recently wrote about the all-quarter-century World Series team and had Rays’ former star Randy Arozarena making the team as a starting outfielder.

Arozarena Shined In 2020

In what was the Covid-shortened 2020 campaign, the Rays were able to shock the league by making the World Series. Unfortunately, they had to play what is now turning into the early part of the Dodgers’ dynasty.

Despite the massive discrepancy in payroll, Tampa Bay was able to hold their own against Los Angeles and forced them into a six-game series. This was a Rays team that had a ton of talent on their pitching staff, with Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow now being part of the Dodgers.

In that series, it was the start of ‘Playoff Randy.’. The talented slugger had an excellent series in the ALCS, and that carried right over into the World Series. Against Los Angeles, .364/.462/.773 with three home runs and four RBI. If Tampa Bay had somehow been able to beat the Dodgers, it likely would have been Arozarena who would have been the MVP.

This year, the 30-year-old was a key member of the Seattle Mariners’ run to the ALCS, and they ultimately came up just short. After winning the AL Rookie of the Year award with the Rays, Arozarena has been able to have an excellent career for himself. However, he is certainly remembered for that incredible playoff run with Tampa Bay in 2020.