Luis Arraez is on the move. The three-time batting champion is a real trade candidate, and the field is starting to narrow down to a handful of legitimate suitors.
Arraez has been on the trade block for weeks. The Padres are in a soft rebuild mode and are shopping veterans they can turn into prospects. Arraez, at 29, is one of their most valuable pieces. He is under contract through the season and hits for a very high average with almost no strikeouts.
Two teams have been linked most consistently to him: the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays. The Red Sox need a second baseman and a contact bat to help stabilize a lineup that has been streaky. The Rays are looking for a leadoff hitter type who can put the ball in play and get on base.
Reporting suggests the Rays remain the frontrunner. Tampa Bay has been the more aggressive suitor and has more prospect depth to offer up. They also have a huge lineup need at second base that Arraez fills perfectly. The fit is nearly ideal.
The Red Sox are hanging around and could pivot late. Boston has been juggling multiple deadline priorities, including bullpen help and rotation depth. Arraez would be a nice bat to add, but he is not their No. 1 need. If the price stays high, the Sox might walk away and look for cheaper options.
Arraez is one of the strangest players in baseball to evaluate. He is a legitimate batting champion. He wins that award almost every year now. His contact rate is extraordinary. He almost never strikes out. He can play second base, third base, first base, and DH.
What he does not do is hit for power. He does not walk a ton. He is a poor defender at second base. Modern analytics have soured somewhat on his overall value because of the lack of extra-base pop. But he is still one of the most useful hitters in baseball, especially for a team that lacks contact.
The Padres want a real return. They gave up something to get him, and they are not going to let him go for nothing. Prospects and probably a controllable young arm is what San Diego is asking for.
The Rays have those pieces. The Red Sox have those pieces. Whoever meets the price gets a former batting champion for the stretch run.
Arraez himself has been a good soldier. He has said all the right things about his situation. He has continued to hit. He has not caused any drama. That kind of professional handling only makes him more attractive to potential buyers.
The deadline is Monday. This should get done by then. The Arraez saga has been building for weeks, and by Tuesday, one of Tampa Bay or Boston will have added a very interesting hitter to their lineup for the stretch run.
For the Padres, this move gets them out from under one contract and gets them a couple of pieces for the future. For the winner of the trade, they get a bat that can hit .310 and slot in anywhere in the top three of the batting order.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
