Bombshell in Bronx: Yankees Surprise Proposal Would Land Game Changing Padres Star
The San Diego Padres are in a peculiar position among Major League Baseball’s presumed contenders.
The Padres nearly took down the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in this year’s playoffs, and have all the makings of a title contender again in 2025. But they, unlike most of their peers, are also dealing with a possible payroll crunch.
If the rumors are true and the Padres are looking to shed some money, would they consider trading Luis Arraez, who they acquired in a blockbuster with the Miami Marlins over seven months ago?
As the Padres have failed to get extensions off the ground with Arraez, a move to ship their leadoff hitter away for salary relief and prospects seems feasible. The three-time defending batting champion is projected to make $13.7 million in 2025 (per Spotrac).
Jacob Mountz of FanSided believes the New York Yankees, who just lost Juan Soto, would be the perfect team to acquire Arraez. He expanded on why a deal could make sense for both sides on Wednesday.
“Reports have it that Padres President of Baseball Operations and GM AJ Preller is listening to offers on utility infielder Luis Arraez. Arraez has been the MLB’s top contact hitter for the past few years,” Mountz said.
“The Yankees currently lack a reliable leadoff hitter and a player other than Judge that can hit above .300… Arraez wouldn’t replace Juan Soto; no one can do that. But Arraez could be a key piece that pushes the Yankees across the finish line next season.”
Arraez, 27, is baseball’s equivalent of a unicorn nowadays, a pure contact hitter who would have been celebrated much more had he come along a few decades earlier.
He’s got a career .323 batting average, putting him in the top 50 all-time if he had enough at-bats to qualify, but his .790 OPS is nowhere near what most consider Hall of Fame territory anymore.
Would trading Arraez be the perfect way to regain the financial flexibility San Diego needs? Or is it more likely they would rue the day they gave up a guaranteed .300 hitter at the top of their lineup, especially in an era where those hitters are rarer than an emerald in a coal mine?
