Padres Luis Arráez building free agency case with strong finish

While in all likelihood Luis Arráez won’t win his fourth batting title in as many years, he is still putting up an exceptional season at the plate. In 152 games, entering the final series of the season, he has slashed .288/.324/.388 with a 97 wRC+. And then he followed that up with four more hits Friday night.

Arráez has been one of the league's best bat-to-ball hitters, being a premier contact hitter who sprays the ball to different parts of the field. Another solid season at the dish for Arráez comes at an opportune time, as the Padres gear up to make another October run, the team’s fourth one in six seasons.

While Arráez has his head set on a World Series, there is no doubt that he is also looking ahead to winter meetings, as the 28-year-old Venezuelan is set to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason. His market value sits at an affordable $13.9 million in 2026, but the front office has five players set to hit the open market, including Ryan O’Hearn and Dylan Cease who both command attention.

Arráez spoke out about his desire to remain a Padre in the future, but also acknowledged that it will be a business decision by A.J. Preller and the front office.

“The San Diego Padres mean a lot because they gave me a lot of opportunities, especially play here in the beautiful city and right to the beautiful fans,” said Arráez. “The crowd here is full every day and I love San Diego. I hope I continue to do my job there and try to do something good for the fans because a lot of fans support me.”

It would probably be a mistake to let Arráez walk, as he has been one of the team’s most reliable hitters. He maintains one of the league’s lowest strikeout rates at 3.2%, and he has been very solid when hitting with runners in scoring position. 

It seems like a match made in heaven, and the ball is in A.J. Preller’s court to keep Arráez around, and I think all Padre fans want this to be the case.

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