Luis Arráez still being available could set up a quiet return to the Padres

As the Padres dropped Game 3 of the NLWC to the Chicago Cubs, it marked the start of what would be a tumultuous offseason for A.J. Preller and the front office. The team had six players set to hit free agency, along with the potential for more to be traded to free up payroll.

Fast forward to late December, and the Padres have seen Dylan Cease, Robert Suarez, and Ryan O’Hearn depart. The truth is, the result could’ve been much worse. In fact, one of the most important pending free agents at season’s end may actually remain in San Diego after all.

The longer Luis Arráez stays available, the louder a Padres reunion gets

Luis Arráez is known across the league as one of the best bat-to-ball (contact) hitters in the game. Spraying the ball to different parts of the park, coupled with a very low strikeout rate, were skills that were once highly thought of amongst league executives.

However, to many people’s surprise, Arráez doesn’t have the market that was once expected. There is one reason for this, and it is the fact that he is not the typical power hitter that teams desire to throw big bucks at.

The lack of a market may force Arráez to take a prove-it deal instead of a long-term contract that he initially wanted, quite funny for someone who won three straight batting titles. If this is the case, Preller should absolutely make an offer for the 28-year-old.

In 2025, Arráez slashed .292/.327/.392 with a 104 wRC+ and provided the bigger bats in the lineup with RBI opportunities. It would be ideal if they could run it back with him at the top of the lineup in 2026.

The team has seen a ton of change, but not as much as they first imagined. What the Padres can do to put themselves on the right track is to bring back Arráez on that team-friendly deal that everyone believes he’s worth.