Padres' Luis Arráez makes 2026 intentions clear on where he wants to play

It is not a surprise that Padres GM A.J. Preller has his work cut out for him, as he has three starters who are unrestricted free agents, and one who will likely opt out of his contract. With only $40 million in team payroll to work with, he has some difficult decisions to make.

One of those tough decisions is with the team’s designated hitter and first baseman, Luis Arráez, who has been a cornerstone at the top of the Padres’ lineup. It is evident that the 28-year-old wants to remain in San Diego but is actively listening to other teams and what they have to offer.

“One hundred percent, I hope it’s here in San Diego, but I’ll be listening to everybody, Arráez said.

To back Arráez’s case to re-sign, it seems that there is mutual interest between him and the front office. A.J. Preller expressed that he and his team are making Arráez the top priority during the offseason.

“Luis knows we value him a ton — we obviously made a big trade for him,” Preller said. “He knows we think about him. He knows we’d love to have him here.”

Both parties know that there are going to be some incredibly difficult business decisions to make, and getting a deal done will require a ton of patience. In 2025, Arráez was one of the league’s premier contact hitters, ranking in the top 1% in strikeout rate, whiff rate, and squared-up rate. This is a huge reason why he won the batting title in three straight seasons (2022-2024).

His ability to spray the ball to different parts of the park is what makes him so valuable, especially when he’s surrounded by power hitters like Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado.

Arráez’s market value sits at $14.1 million for the 2026 season, but in order to keep the band together for another year, it is key that he and his agent agree to a deal that is team-friendly.