The New York Yankees have adapted well after losing Juan Soto to the New York Mets. General manager Brian Cashman has been busy, bringing in Max Fried, Devin Williams, Cody Bellinger, and Paul Goldschmidt since Soto’s departure. Now, the Yankees might be eyeing San Diego Padres infielder Luis Arráez as their next acquisition. Signing Goldschmidt to a one-year, $12.5 million deal addressed their need at first base, but more infield upgrades are necessary.
With second baseman Gleyber Torres set to hit free agency and unlikely to return, Cashman faces decisions about reinforcing the infield. Options include acquiring a second baseman or pursuing a third baseman like Alex Bregman, which would allow Jazz Chisholm Jr. to move to second base.
Harrison Bruns of Just Baseball identified the Yankees as one of the top trade destinations for Arráez, highlighting his potential impact batting ahead of Aaron Judge. “Replacing Soto in front of Judge is no easy task,” Bruns noted. “But adding a player who consistently contends for batting titles is a great start.”
Arráez, a three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger, has won batting titles in each of the past three seasons with three different teams. He hit .316 with the Twins in 2022, .354 with the Marlins in 2023, and .314 combined with the Marlins and Padres in 2024. He’s projected to earn $13.7 million in 2025, his final arbitration year, with a long-term market value estimated at nine years and $154 million, according to Spotrac.
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