Padres’ Luis Arráez Open to Long-Term Deal With Padres: ‘I Want to Stay Here’
One year away from free agency, infielder Luis Arráez has already expressed interest in wanting to remain with the San Diego Padres beyond the 2025 season.
Arráez, set to enter his final arbitration year this winter, has played for three different clubs in his professional career – the Minnesota Twins (2019-22), Miami Marlins (2023-24) and Padres (2024-present). But he hopes to stick around in one place for a change next season.
At the very least, the 27-year-old knows he won’t have to switch teams for a fourth time in as many seasons, with the Padres ensuring he’s part of their plans moving forward – both for ‘25 and possibly beyond.
“It means a lot of good things,” Arráez told reporters, including MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell. “If they want to sign me, I want to stay here. This is business. I understand the business. But I hope I stay here for a long time.”
The Padres acquired Arráez and cash in a trade from the Marlins in May for a package of four players in return, including reliever Woo-Suk Go, first base prospect Nathan Martorella and outfield prospects Jakob Marsee and Dillon Head.
As part of the blockbuster deal, Miami agreed to pay almost all of Arráez’s $10.6 million salary from this past season. He’s likely due a considerable raise in 2025, with MLB Trade Rumors projecting his ARB salary at $14.6 million.
The left-handed-hitting infielder captured his third straight batting title in ‘24 with his NL-leading .314 average, becoming the first player in MLB history to accomplish that feat three consecutive times with three different teams.
After joining San Diego, Arráez slashed .318/.346/.398 with 30 extra-base hits and 41 RBIs across 117 games, earning a 111 wRC+ (100 league average). In the playoffs, he recorded seven hits (all singles) over 31 plate appearances between the NL wild-card and division series.
Even more impressive, the three-time All-Star performed as well as he did despite battling a left thumb injury for most of the 2024 campaign. The team won’t have any additional information on the severity of that ailment until he undergoes an MRI, but he’s hopeful the damage won’t be serious.
“I’ll be more strong next year,” Arráez said. “I’ll come back healthy.”
Since entering the majors in 2019, Arráez leads the sport in AVG (.323) and holds the lowest strikeout rate (6.8 percent) amongst 364 qualified big-league hitters. He’s also produced at least 200 hits in each of the previous two campaigns.
Arráez likely won’t be the only player the Padres attempt to extend this off-season, considering 2024 All-Star Jurickson Profar will headline their upcoming class of free agents. Plus, ace Dylan Cease and Michael King can reach the open market after next season.
San Diego may need to get creative with its payroll this winter, given FanGraphs’ Roster Resource already has the franchise’s 2025 CBT (competitive balance tax) figure at a projected $231.1 million, roughly $10 million below the initial luxury tax threshold.
So, after losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS, a busy winter appears to lie ahead for general manager A.J. Preller and his staff.
-Thomas Hall
Twitter: @Hall_Thomas_
Photo: Cpl. Timothy Childers. This file is a work of a United States Marine or employee, taken or made as part of that person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, it is in the public domain.