The San Diego Padres have been one of Major League Baseball’s more aggressive clubs since A.J. Preller took over the front office in 2014. He has never been reluctant to add quality to the roster, and the Padres have had some star-studded lineups despite mixed results.
Looking to jumpstart their offensive again. San Diego made another deal after sending Juan Soto to the New York Yankees this offseason. They have agreed to a trade with the Miami Marlins that revolves around All-Star second baseman Luis Arraez.
Miami will pay a significant portion of Arraez’s remaining compensation, while the Padres will simply be responsible for the prorated veteran’s minimum. In return for him, San Diego will send reliever Woo-Suk Go and prospects Dillon Head, Jakob Marsee, and Nathan Martorella to Miami.
Head, a first-round pick in the 2023 MLB Amateur Draft, is the most fascinating prospect returning to Miami. He was recruited out of high school and is only 19 years old. This is the first of several measures by an underachieving Marlins team to sell off assets.
With Soto’s departure, Arraez fills a vacuum in the Padres’ order that need another lefty bat. He is one of baseball’s top contact hitters, having led the National League in hitting average the past two seasons and winning two Silver Slugger trophies.
Right now, Arraez is expected to get the most of his at-bats as the designated hitter. However, because Arraez can play both first and second base, that position will be shared by numerous players.
“It’s really amazing — that guy is a baller,” Fernando Tatis Jr. remarked of Arraez following the Padres’ victory Friday night. “He’s the closest to Tony Gwynn right now, so we’re excited to see him in our lineup.” “The guy is a pure hitter, and I can’t wait for him to assist us.”
Arraez is hitting.299 with a.347 on-base percentage and.372 slugging percentage in 33 games this season, all of which he has started at second base. His ability to reach base could help the sluggers in San Diego’s lineup, including Tatis and Manny Machado.
