The San Diego Padres still don’t have a starting first baseman under contract for 2026 and beyond as former Padre Luis Arraez is still a free agent.
There was noise that both sides were interested in a reunion, but Arraez has not been re-signed yet. Arraez is known for his ability to make contact on any pitch and is the hardest hitter in Major League Baseball to strike out.
The three-time batting champion “took a step back” last season, if you can believe that hitting .292 is a step back. That is his lowest batting average in a season to date, and in an era where batting average isn’t as highly touted as it once was, that’s super impressive.
He hit over .300 in three of his last four seasons and excels at putting the ball in play.
However, that’s really all he has going for him, which is why he hasn’t been signed yet. Arraez doesn’t hit for power, isn’t the fastest and isn’t the best defender.
“Luis Arraez continues to be one of the more interesting free agent options,” ESPN’s Buster Olney wrote Tuesday. “Because of his unusual set of skills -- he makes contact better than anyone -- he led the NL in hits last season and is a three-time batting champion, but the perception of many evaluators is that: 1. He doesn't really add anything on defense; 2. He doesn't add anything in his baserunning; and 3. He doesn't excel in on-base percentage (.327 last season) or power (.392). Because of all this, Arraez needs a front office or a veteran manager with old-school roots to advocate for adding him.”
That doesn’t necessarily bode well for Arraez if he truly wants to return to San Diego. The Padres are trying to reduce payroll, and while Arraez wouldn’t cost an arm and a leg to bring back, they may just put Jake Cronenworth at first base full-time instead.
Cronenworth is a similar player to Arraez in the sense that he won’t hit for a lot of power, but he is much better defensively and gets on base at a high clip (.367 in 2025).
Arraez could return to San Diego, but that would likely be a late offseason move if he doesn’t sign with another team.