Jonathan Aranda's Breakout Season Fueling Rays Lineup

Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda has been on a hot streak. The potential All-Star starter is currently on a nine-game hitting streak. In his latest game, Aranda went 3-for-4 against the Kansas City Royals.

While Aranda is putting up All-Star level numbers this season, it’s worth noting that he is currently a platoon bat for the Rays lineup, but that doesn't diminish what he’s been able to do, especially for a Rays team that sits in second place, just one game behind the New York Yankees in first in the AL East.

During the season, Aranda hit .332 with a .416 on-base percentage, eight home runs, and 156 OPS+. Simply put, Aranda is having the best season of his career.

To put it into perspective, in the last three seasons, when Aranda played 110 games, he has already surpassed all these marks by a significant margin. In those three seasons, Aranda averaged a .222 batting average with a .309 OBP and a 97 OPS+, which would classify him as a below-league-average hitter during those years.

Aranda has been a significant part of the Rays' season this year, and if he can continue his success, it can certainly go a long way for the Rays, who are trying to push for a playoff spot.