Major League Baseball rarely sees blockbuster moves before Memorial Day. However, AJ Preller is notorious for taking large swings. The Padres’ general manager aimed high once more.
Preller hammered out a deal with the Miami Marlins to bring two-time hitting champion Luis Arraez to San Diego in exchange for a package of prospects. Arraez made history by leading the American League in batting average in 2022 with the Twins, being traded to the Marlins in the off-season, then leading the National League in hitting in 2023 to become the first player to win back-to-back batting titles in different leagues.
In exchange, the Padres will send a package of young players to Miami, presumably including outfielders Hudson Head and Jakob Marsee, first baseman Nathan Martorella, and relief pitcher Woo Suk Go. Head was the Padres’ first-round draft pick a year ago and is in his first full season of professional baseball with Lake Elsinore. The other three have not moved beyond Double-A San Antonio.
Arraez is in the Padres lineup for Saturday night’s game against the Diamondbacks, batting first as the designated hitter, and he’s precisely what the Friars need on offence. The two-time Silver Slugger Award winner excels at getting on base and putting pressure on defences. The question is: where will he slot in on defence?
Arraez has spent the majority of his major league career at second base, but he has also played all four infield positions and left field. The Friars’ infield is so crowded that they shifted highly regarded prospect Jackson Merrill from shortstop to centerfield during spring training. The Friars might give Manny Machado more time at DH as he recovers from elbow surgery, or this move could indicate another deal is on the way.
Arraez has one more year of arbitration remaining, placing him under team control until the 2025 season, and his presence this year actually lowers San Diego’s Competitive Balance Tax number. Miami has agreed to cover the entirety of his 2024 deal, so the Friars will save a little less than $1 million, which is incredible given that they gained an All-Star in his prime.
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