Age: 29 (4/9/97) B/T: L/R
Traditional stats: .310/.345/.419, 6 HR, 64 RBI, 67 R, 33 2B, 7 3B, 10 SB, 1 CS, 34 BB, 28 SO, 655 PA, 151 G
Advanced stats: 113 OPS+, 110 wRC+, .307 xwOBA, 4,3 K%, 5.2 BB%, .311 BABIP, 4.1 fWAR, 2.9 bWAR
Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
Rundown
Luis Arraez was less than one batting average point short of winning his fourth hitting crown in eight seasons, finishing second to Gabriel Moreno of the Diamondbacks, who hit .3107 (147-for-473) to Arraez’s .3104 (185-for-596). He was also second in the National League in hits behind Otto Lopez of the Marlins. He made the All-Star team for the fourth time.
He started and played most of the season with the Giants (105 games) before being dealt with pitcher Caleb Kilian to the Phillies at the trade deadline for two minor leaguers. In Philadelphia, he hit .278/.309/.369 with two homers in 46 games and missed the playoffs because of a sprained left ankle he suffered while avoiding a tag in the last week of the regular season.
His batting profile on Baseball Savant is all over the place.
The good: He is in the 100th percentile for strikeout percentage, whiff percentage, and squared-up percentage, the 96th percentile for expected batting average, and the 93rd percentile for launch angle sweet spot percentage.
The bad: He is in the first percentile for barrel percentage, hard-hit percentage, and bat speed, the seventh percentile for walk percentage, and the 11th percentile for average exit velocity. In short, he’s a unicorn with the bat.
He explained his approach on MLB Network last spring training.
“Be simple, just try to put the ball in play,” he said. “I don’t try to do too much. If I try to do too much, maybe I strike out more. But I don’t want to strike out, so I just want to put the ball in play. And then, try to see a lot of pitches to help (the hitters) behind me.”
He doesn’t mind hitting with two strikes.
“I like to push myself. I like to compete. I don’t care if they throw me two strikes I know I can put the ball in play.”
Of 135 qualified hitters, Arraez struck out the least with 28 in 655 plate appearances. A distant second was Chandler Simpson of Tampa Bay at 48. Of qualified Mets – there were only three – Marcus Semien had the fewest strikeouts with 104. Bo Bichette struck out 127 times and Carson Benge 142.
Recommendation: Try to Sign
Arraez didn’t play first base this year, but he played 117 games there for the Padres in 2025, though he was an alarming negative-7 outs above average. But the current first-base situation is a mess. Jared Young exceeded expectations to post a .759 OPS, on par with what Arraez did this year. Young seems best suited for a part-time role.
Brett Baty finished the year strong, but it would be a new position for him and he hasn’t shown a consistent bat for a full season yet. Jorge Polanco will enter spring training with questions about his health and didn’t hit (.431 OPS in 37 games) when he was on the field last year. Mark Vientos might be released. Francisco Alvarez and Luis Torrens are both trying to pick up first base in the Venezuelan Winter League.
Some other free agent first basemen out there include Jake Bauers, Ty France and Nathaniel Lowe, but Arraez, a lifetime .316/.360/.414 hitter who can run up pitch counts would be my preference. He could also play second base if injury or poor performance called for it. Baseball America projects a one-year, $14 million deal.
