The New York Yankees missed out on acquiring Juan Soto but quickly shifted their focus to star pitcher Max Fried as part of their backup plan. Fried addresses a key gap in their starting rotation, but the Yankees still need to strengthen their roster by adding an infielder or two, an outfielder, and bullpen depth. One pressing need is at second base, where the team faces the departure of Gleyber Torres in free agency. While the free agent market for second basemen is limited, the trade market recently heated up with a surprising report that the San Diego Padres are open to offers for infielder Luis Arráez.
FanSided’s Jacob Mountz has suggested that the Yankees pursue a blockbuster deal for Arráez, a contact-hitting leadoff star. “This past season, Arráez slashed .314/.346/.392/.739 with four home runs, leading the NL with 200 hits in 637 at-bats. By his standards, it was his worst season in his stretch of winning batting titles, which speaks volumes about both his consistency and potential,” Mountz wrote. “While he doesn’t hit for power—he’s never topped 10 home runs in a season—his ability to consistently hit over .300 makes him an ideal table-setter for Aaron Judge. Arráez could be the Yankees’ next DJ LeMahieu, version 2.0.”
However, there are concerns with Arráez. He’s a below-average defender, lacks power, and doesn’t draw many walks. Still, his exceptional hitting ability outweighs his shortcomings, making him a valuable asset overall. That said, if the Yankees were to acquire him, he would need to play second base; his .739 OPS (from the 2024 season) would be underwhelming for a first baseman. For first base, the Yankees would be better off targeting a power hitter like Christian Walker, Cody Bellinger, or Pete Alonso while slotting Arráez in at second base.
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