Padres must finally trade Luis Arraez to rebalance the lineup

As we head into the thick of trade discussions and rumors, there is one thing for certain. The San Diego Padres need to find a way to trade Luis Arraez. This isn't a wild or whacky potential move that the Friars could make. It's something they need to get done.

The Padres are dead last in Major League Baseball in hard hit percentage, which will grow into a glaring issue as the club looks to roll into the postseason. Among individual players, Arraez is essentially the worst in the league in hard hit percentage, barrel percentage, and average exit velocity.

To improve the batting order, nixing Arraez will be one decent stride in the right direction, especially considering that he will be a free agent this offseason. It's clear that he has been an issue in 2025, and the lust of his three prior batting titles is beginning to lose its shine. A .274 batting average would bode well for most hitters, but that generally comes with more power numbers, or at least a decent glove to complement that average. For Arraez, he holds a -0.1 bWAR entering June 10 and is one of the worst defensive infielders.

While Arraez's resume this season doesn't impress much, some teams may want to take a flyer on him as a rental. He barely strikes out (five Ks in 59 games) and he does have a reputable track record as a consistent hitter. Changing scenery might help him get back on that successful path, so a contending team in need of a contact hitter could be willing to make a deal for Arraez.

He is having a solid June, hitting safely in seven of nine games with four RBIs and three doubles despite having an injury scare this past week. If Arraez can improve his trade stock a bit over the next few weeks, the Padres could capitalize on that and dish him for an outfielder, a catcher, or a starting pitcher.