San Diego Padres first baseman/designated hitter Luis Arraez (thumb) had surgery last October to fix a torn UCL in his left thumb that he suffered on June 25, but it shouldn't be an issue going forward. " I feel like I got a new thumb," Arraez said. The three-time All-Star still managed to win his third straight batting title after being traded from the Miami Marlins to the Padres in the first half of the season, and he also led the league with 200 hits. However, Arraez's slugging percentage was down considerably and he had only four round-trippers, 46 RBI, nine stolen bases and 83 runs scored in 672 total plate appearances and 150 games played. The 27-year-old left-handed hitter should continue to hit for a very high average to help fantasy managers, but he's a one-category producer and won't do much else. RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 19 fantasy first baseman.
San Diego Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller said he sees infielder Luis Arraez as the team's starting first baseman this year. "They're everyday guys that'll be on the field," manager Mike Shildt said of Arraez and Jake Cronenworth being on the right side of the infield in 2025. Arraez will surely also see time as the club's designated hitter, but it appears he'll spend most of his time at first, with Cronenworth at the keystone. The 27-year-old left-handed hitter won his third straight batting title in 2024 by hitting .314 (200-for-637) while also being named to his third straight All-Star team. The Venezuelan has a unique skill set at the plate with elite bat-to-ball skills, and what he did last year is even more impressive, considering he played a large chunk of the season with a torn UCL in his left thumb. Arraez is great for your team batting average, but he does very little else.
According to Dennis Lin of The Athletic, the San Diego Padres would prefer to hold infielder Luis Arraez. Arraez has had his name circling around several trade discussions throughout the offseason. However, the Padres and Arraez settled on a $14 million to avoid arbitration last week. Lin noted that even though the team remains focused on winning a championship, they remain open to moving a few of their higher contracts to create some roster flexibility. Starting pitcher Dylan Cease and right-handed relief pitcher Robert Suarez have also had their names around trade talks. Last season, Arraez posted at least a .300 AVG for the third-straight campaign. Last summer, he held a .314 AVG across time with Miami and San Diego. Under the hood, he posted a stellar 4.3% K rate but lacked in power production. The 27-year-old remains one of the top targets for batting average but carries very low power upside.
Infielder Luis Arraez and the San Diego Padres settled on a $14 million deal for the 2025 season on Thursday to avoid salary arbitration, according to a source. Arraez will get a $3.5 million raise in his final year of arbitration eligibility. With the Padres looking to cut salary this year, they've explored trading Arraez to the New York Yankees, although no deal is close. The 27-year-old Venezuelan is the best contact hitter in the game and won the batting title for the third straight season while playing for the Padres and Miami Marlins. It's hard to believe his .314 average was a step back from 2023, and he also had surgery in October to fix a torn ligament in his left thumb. Arraez surely has a unique skill set, but his lack of defensive prowess and speed mostly make him a one-category contributor (average) in fantasy. If he stays in SD, Arraez should hit leadoff in a strong lineup.
Luis Arraez No Longer Viewed As Option For The Yankees
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, San Diego Padres infielder Luis Arraez is no longer viewed as a fit for the New York Yankees. Earlier on Monday, Jeff Passan of ESPN reported that both sides were in the process of discussing a deal, but Heyman's report suggests that discussions may have come to standstill. The New York Yankees have been looking to acquire another infielder as they are still unsure where Jazz Chisholm Jr. will play in 2025. If Chisholm returns to second base, they could be interested in seeking a third baseman but if Chisholm were to move to the hot corner, than Arraez could be a potential fit to cover second base. However, reports last week suggest that the Yankees may opt to give the final spot in the infield to someone currently on the roster such as DJ LeMahieu, Oswald Peraza, or Oswaldo Cabrera. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor this situation as Arraez would be a valuable fantasy asset in the Yankees lineup batting leadoff behind Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. Last season, Arraez held a stellar .314 AVG with a 4.3% K rate.
According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, the New York Yankees continue to talk with the San Diego Padres about infielder Luis Arraez. The Yankees have also inquired about Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Gavin Lux to fill their opening at second base. After failing to re-sign superstar outfielder Juan Soto, the Yankees signed left-hander Max Fried, right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and traded for closer Devin Williams, center fielder Cody Bellinger and reliever Fernando Cruz to make their team deeper. None of those additions are guaranteed to be around beyond next season, though, while stars Aaron Judge and Gerrit Cole are approaching their mid-30s. New York is clearly in win-now mode. Although Arraez is an elite contact guy, he'd be a liability at second base full time on defense with Goldy already at first and Giancarlo Stanton as the full-time designated hitter.
Luis Arraez Has Thumb Surgery, Expected To Be Ready For Opening Day
San Diego Padres infielder Luis Arraez (thumb) had surgery on his thumb on Wednesday to repair a torn left thumb ligament. Having all offseason to recover, the 27-year-old is expected to be ready to go on Opening Day. The 3x All-Star was a key piece to the Padres' run to the playoffs after coming over from the Marlins in May, hitting .318 with a .324 wOBA and 111 wRC+ on his way to a third batting title with his third different team. While he's one of the best contact hitters in all of baseball, he doesn't move the needle all that much for fantasy as he doesn't hit for power which also results in low RBI numbers, and for someone who always seems to be on base, he does not swipe many bags.
San Diego Padres infielder Luis Arraez picked up his third batting title of his career on Sunday. Arraez went 1-for-3 with a single during Sunday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. That single was enough to push Arraez to a .314 batting average and win him the batting title. The 27-year-old has remained a force at the plate since being traded from the Miami Marlins early in the season. The assumption is that Arraez will remain at the top order heading into the postseason.
San Diego Padres infielder Luis Arraez (knee) is back in the starting lineup ahead of Friday's game against the Chicago White Sox. Arraez sat out of Wednesday's game due to knee soreness and received the next day off with the team not playing on Thursday. It appears Arraez is good to go now as he'll bat leadoff and serve as the designated hitter against left-hander Garrett Crochet. Arraez is hitting .320 with nearly 200 hits on the season, so fantasy managers better make sure to get him back in their lineups ahead of first pitch.
San Diego Padres infielder Luis Arraez (knee) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Wednesday's game against the Houston Astros. Arraez suffered a knee injury during Monday's contest, but he was back in the lineup on Tuesday. Possibly, Arraez suffered a setback or this is a routine rest day against a tough left-handed pitcher. It's worth noting that Arraez had started in each of the last 15 games prior to Wednesday's contest. Jake Cronenworth will cover second base and bat seventh versus lefty Framber Valdez. Cronenworth is hitting under .200 against left-handers this season, so he can be avoided as a streaming option on Wednesday.
Luis Arraez
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