Despite losing two of three against the Washington Nationals and four of their last six games, the Los Angeles Dodgers remain in a solid position with a 10-4 record. However, this does not mean that the front office will not attempt to improve the club in some areas of the field. Hyeseong Kim, a former Korea Baseball Organization star, is playing second base, shortstop, and center field for the Dodgers at Triple-A Oklahoma City. Tommy Edman is a versatile defender who can play the same three positions as Kim, if not more.
According to Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report, a trade with the San Diego Padres for Luis Arraez could make sense if the Dodgers aren’t keen on Kim or Edman as their starting second baseman. “The lowest hanging fruit is arguably whichever of 2B/CF is easier to upgrade, with Tommy Edman becoming fully entrenched as the starter at the other,” Miller reported on Thursday. “And with several other contenders likely to be in the market for a center fielder, second base is probably the answer.” Arraez would only strengthen the Dodgers’ already stacked lineup, but the Padres may be hesitant to trade him to their National League West opponent.
San Diego would particularly regret sending Arraez to Los Angeles if he performed well in the NLDS or NLCS against his previous club. Arraez is hitting.283 with a.693 OPS in 13 games with the Padres in 2025, solidifying his status as one of baseball’s greatest contact hitters. He has also been utilized primarily at first base this season for the Padres, but he has 345 games of experience at second base across his seven-year career. The 28-year-old is not well-known for his defensive abilities. He has accumulated -34 outs above average at second base throughout his career.
In 2024, Arraez went 141 consecutive plate appearances without striking out. According to MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell, it was the longest stretch since outfielder Juan Pierre had 147 in 2004. Arraez will be a free agency at the end of the season, so his time with the Dodgers could be limited if the two teams reach an agreement on a trade.
Leave a Reply