1 month agoSan 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.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: The San Diego Union-Tribune - Kevin Acee
2 months agoSan 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.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - AJ Cassavell
3 months agoAccording 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.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Dennis Lin
3 months agoInfielder
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.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com - Mark Feinsand
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