Why does Randy Arozarena wear cowboy boots before games? Lifting the lid on the good luck charm that inspired Mexico's rout of the USA in WBC

Last week, Randy Arozarena and Team Mexico pulled off an upset in the World Baseball Classic by dominating the USA 11-5. The Mexican victory sent shockwaves across the league after they made one of the betting favorites look mediocre.

One of the main reasons behind Team Mexico's victory over Team USA was the impressive performance by superstar outfielder Randy Arozarena. The Tampa Bay Rays star went 3-for-5 with 2 RBIs and 3 runs scored, helping his home country claim a key victory in Pool C.

While he is one of the most talented outfielders participating in the World Baseball Classic, there may be an alternate source behind his success. Enter the now-infamous Arozarena cowboy boots.

"Randy Arozarena just got a special delivery before tonight’s game" - B/R Walk-Off

While fans across the globe have been enamored by Arozarena's cowboy boots, many do not know the origin of his good luck charm. The pre-game tradition began during his stint with the Mayos de Navojoa in the Mexican Pacific League in 2017, where he finished with 14 homers.

In an interview with Sandra Samaniego of Imagen Television, the Tampa Bay Rays star explained how the boots became part of his pre-game routine.

"For me it's remembering a very nice story that began in Mexico when I was playing in the Mexican Pacific League and a friend, Paul Leon, lent me some boots and I told him that they were going to bring me luck,"

"Pivotal situations sometimes call for secret weapons. In this case, it was Randy Arozarena's lucky cowboy boots" - Sporting News MLB

Arozarena continued:

"That's how it happened because I was the home run leader in Mexico, and I did it again in the World Series, and in the playoffs; so I'm here to see if they give me luck again."

Needless to say, the boots' good luck has carried over, helping Randy produce one of the best beginnings to an MLB career in the sport's history.

"Just a reminder of how sneaky good Randy Arozarena has been to start his career" - The Game Day MLB

A look at Randy Arozarena's career in the MLB

Randy has had one of the best starts to an MLB career, becoming only the second player in history to hit 20+ home runs in each of their first two seasons. The only other player to do that was Mike Trout. Not exactly bad company to be a part of.

Many fans may have forgotten, but Randy made his MLB debut with the St. Louis Cardinals, playing 19 games with the squad in 2019. In early 2020, Arozarena was traded, along with José Martínez and the Cardinals’ Competitive Balance Round A Draft Pick for Matthew Liberatore, Edgardo Rodriguez, and the Rays’ Competitive Balance Round B Draft Pick.

Since then, Arozarena has become a fan favorite with the Tampa Bay Rays, winning the 2020 ALCS MVP Award and the 2021 American League Rookie of the Year. Through 336 MLB games, the talented outfielder has hit 48 home runs with 171 RBIs and 58 stolen bases.