No, Randy Arozarena does not speak English due to his limited proficiency in the language. Arozarena is a baseball player with Cuban and Mexican background.
The 28-year-old communicates in Spanish. Born in Pinar del Río, Cuba, Arozarena grew up learning to speak in the Cuban dialect, a form of Caribbean Spanish.
He experiences difficulties communicating with his teammates or during interviews due to language barriers. Despite his ongoing efforts to learn the English, he struggles to convey his thoughts and ideas in the language.
As a result, he relies on a translator to assist him with his communication needs. In a recent post-match talk in March 2023 with Bally Sports Florida reporter Tricia Whitaker, Randy explained his arm-crossed pose in Spanish while his translator was beside him.
Arozarena played for another MLB side, the St. Louis Cardinals, for a year before moving to Tampa in January 2020.
Where Was Randy Arozarena Born?
Randy Arozarena was born in the municipal town of Mantua in Pinar del Rio, Cuba. He grew up with his two siblings Ronny and Riako.
The baseball stud spent his entire childhood in his hometown, learning the basics of the game and gradually honing his skills. Arozarena played two seasons in the Cuban National Series playing for Vegueros de Pinar del Río.
But in search of bigger opportunities in 2015, Randy moved from Cuba at 20 and landed in Mexico. There, he met a scout for MLB and the head of player development for the Mexican League's Toros de Tijuana, Guillermo Armenta.
After just three days of working together, Armenta was impressed with Arozarena's speed, as he ran the 60-yard dash in 6.9 seconds, which was average for a major leaguer.
Convinced of his potential, Armenta persuaded Arozarena to join the Toros de Tijuana academy, which had a history of sending prospects to major league organizations.
Arozarena eventually signed a $1.25 million deal with the Major League team St. Louis Cardinals in August 2016. However, his start in the major leagues was slow, as he was assigned to the short-season league.
It was not until January 2020, when the Cardinals traded Arozarena to the Tampa Bay Rays, that his career truly began to grow.
Arozarena quickly made a name for himself in the Tampa Bay area, dazzling his teammates on and off the field. He often celebrates home runs with a spin move inspired by soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo and led dance-offs to celebrate big wins.
Additionally, the 28-year-old, after seven years of stay in the country, finally obtained Mexican citizenship in 2022 and thus became eligible to represent Mexico in the World Baseball Classic 2023.
Randy Arozarena Family Background
Randy Arozarena family consists of his parents Jesus Arozarena and Sandra Arozarena. He came from a close-knit household of five which includes his two brothers.
Arozarena recalls his upbringing in Mantua, Cuba, playing soccer and baseball with his siblings and friends. As a child, his days were consumed with playing soccer, fostering a profound adoration for the most popular sport.
However, he switched to playing baseball as he found hitting the ball with the baseball bat much more enjoyable as he grew up.
Although neither his mother nor father had any experience in sports, they had a strong passion for athletics. They were always there to provide emotional and moral support to Randy.
His world was turned upside down when his father, Jesus, tragically passed away in 2014 due to a severe allergic reaction caused by consuming a seafood delicacy.
The loss of his father had an immense impact on his family's mental and financial stability. Fueled by a fierce determination to secure a better future for his household, he resolved to leave his home country and pursue a career in Mexico.
Later he also brought his mom Sandra to live with him in Mexico. Exhilarated by her son's success, she attends his game to cheer and root for him.
Furthermore, Randy is married and has two daughters, Lia, and Luna Arozarena. He tied the knot with her long-time girlfriend, Cenelia Pinedo Blanco, on November 7, 2020.
Randy Arozarena Siblings
Arozarena has two siblings Raiko Arozarena and Ronny Arozarena both involved in the sports profession. Raiko is a Cuban international soccer player.
Meanwhile, Ronny, the youngest of the three, played baseball in Cuba and Mexico in his brother Randy's footsteps. Currently unaffiliated with any team, he is a free agent with no ties to a specific club.
On the other hand, born three years after Randy, Raiko plays as a goalkeeper for the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the USL Championship.
After his stint at the local Cuban soccer leagues, Raiko joined Cafetaleros de Chiapas in Liga Premier de Mexico. Then a year later, he moved to the Tampa Bay Rowdies and is currently for FC Forward Madison on loan.
Besides, the 25-year-old goalie has two appearances for the Cuban national team.
Randy Arozarena Mic'd Up Moments
Arozarena was Mic'd up during the first game of the World Series in October 2020. He was chattering fluent Spanish all over the tape.
In the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Los Angeles Dodgers, Arozarena, a key player for the Rays in the postseason, was fitted with a microphone to provide viewers with a unique insight into the game.
This allowed viewers to hear his interactions with teammates, including translating baseball terminology from English to Spanish and quizzing them on pronouncing his name.
He also spoke to Willy Adames about fielding while enthusiastically cheering on his team from the dugout. MLB's Youtube channel has shared a short clip of his experience on their platform.
Randy used several Spanish words, just as "Vamos," which translates to "Come On" in English. After his teammate hit the ball, he said, "Cien Millas," which means "100 Miles."
Despite the game's high stakes, Arozarena remained relaxed and playful throughout the experience. He also spoke to Willy Adames about fielding, sharing insights and strategies to help the team perform at their best.
