Latest Luis Arráez update makes his free agency case one of the strangest in years

The Padres front office, coaching staff, players, and fans are all waiting on a decision to be made by Luis Arráez, who, as of now, sits on the open market in search of a new, multi-year contract. 

When it comes to his market, many people believe the Padres will prioritize re-signing him, but also people who think they will let him walk in favor of bringing in starting pitching.

Luis Arráez update turns his free agency into a true MLB oddity

Arráez is projected to earn $14.1 million annually on a deal in the two-to-three-year range. The 28-year-old won three straight batting titles from 2022–2024, displaying some of the best bat-to-ball skills. The ability to spray the ball to different parts of the park used to be cherished, and you’d think any team with a brain would be all in on a guy like Arráez, but the recent update from Jeff Passan says otherwise.

On Nov. 18, Passan released a major update regarding how different teams view Arráez as a free agent, and to say he has a negative connotation attached to him is an understatement.

“Teams can’t help but see Arráez for everything he isn’t. Like, a passable defender. Or a source of power. Or even a halfway decent baserunner.”

This rationale may have helped A.J. Preller and the San Diego front office big time, as if teams are deterred by his game, and aren’t interested in meeting Arráez’s asking price, it could urge the Padres to bring him back on a cheaper contract. Perhaps a short, two-year deal with a smaller AAV, or a one-year prove-it deal that could give him a chance to prove his worth. Not only to the Padres, but other teams that may have had initial interest in him.

Other teams listed as potential landing spots by The Athletic included the Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates, Colorado Rockies, Chicago White Sox, and Los Angeles Angels. As we get deeper into the offseason, we will learn more about how front offices across the league actually view Arráez.