With the chance that Luis Arraez won’t return to the San Diego Padres, they will have a glaring hole at first base to be addressed.
Luis Arraez has had a fascinating career thus far in Major League Baseball. He is the toughest hitter to strike out, makes contact on just about any pitch and typically leads the league in batting average (three batting titles).
Arraez finished 2025 with the worst batting average of his career, albeit he still hit .292. He added eight homers and 61 RBI to go along with his NL-leading 181 hits.
However, he doesn’t provide much besides his bat-to-ball skills. He’s not fast, not a good defender and has no pop. The only reason he moved to first base was because of his declining defense.
San Diego had problems down the stretch in 2025 because the offense went cold. In the National League Wild Card Series against the Chicago Cubs, the most runs the Padres scored in a game was three. Outside of stars Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado and Jackson Merrill, the offense can be hit or miss (literally).
This could leave the door open for a huge signing at first base and possibly the best offensive first baseman in baseball is a free agent.
“The Polar Bear” Pete Alonso opted to test free agency after a disappointing finish with the New York Mets and he would be an excellent addition to a team that has back-to-back 90-win seasons and playoff berths.
“The metrics suggested Alonso was still one of the worst defensive first basemen in baseball in 2025 -- his minus-9 defensive runs saved and minus-9 outs above average both ranked 18th out of 18 qualified first basemen -- but he rebounded in the batter's box,” ESPN’s Jorge Castillo wrote Friday. “With an adjusted swing and approach, Alonso hit the ball harder -- his 93.5 mph average exit velocity was a career high -- and the production followed.
“He slashed .272/.347/.524 with 38 home runs and 126 RBIs mostly hitting behind Juan Soto. His 141 wRC+ was tied for the second-largest output of his career. He set the franchise record for career home runs, further solidifying his place as one of the most beloved Mets in recent history.”
Alonso also played in all 162 games for the second-straight season, exemplifying his durability. Though the Padres should focus a lot on the pitching staff, Alonso in brown and gold would instantly make this team a serious contender for years.
He's not a great defender, but neither is Arraez. His offensive production will be enough to override his defensive struggles.
General manager A.J. Preller is known for his crazy moves and is no stranger to spending lots of money to build a contender.