Why Bringing Back Luis Arraez Makes More Sense Than You'd Think

[Greglw3]

2 hours ago, Linus said:

An Arraez at bat is really fun to watch. He’s really, really good at hitting singles. It’s crazy how few strikeouts and walks he has, it’s gotta be almost unprecedented. It’s just not enough. 

 

Arraez had 33 doubles, 7 triples and 6 home runs last year, 46 extra base hits and according to Baseball America’s feedback from managers, scouts and executives, borderline gold glove defense at 2B.

[Greglw3]

On 11/6/2026 at 11:38 AM, DJL44 said:

RField has him as an average defender at 2B, but he’s still a 3 WAR player you can sign for $16M a season. That’s way better than what you can get spending $16M on the bullpen.

Rfield vs Baseball America, 

[Greglw3]

On 11/6/2026 at 11:57 AM, Linus said:

Call me a cynic but I’m calling BS on the defensive metrics. We’ve seen previous examples where they ying-yang all over the place in a given year. Common sense tells you that it is near impossible to consistently rate a poor fielder over the course of years and suddenly he’s great. Did he get demonstrably quicker and faster?  Seems unlikely at age 29 and that’s what it would take for him to improve that much in such a short period of time. 

Agree, here’s proof on the defensive metrics!

[Greglw3]

On 11/6/2026 at 1:55 PM, LA Vikes Fan said:

I'm in favor of this even if he is just now an average defensive 2B. Average at 2B is an upgrade over Clemens, who at 1B is an upgrade over Lewis at the plate and probably in the field. Arraez' bat helps this lineup tremendously as a high OBP machine at the front of the order with Keaschall. He will get 2 years $35m or 3 years $50m type deal. Let's not dream he will be cheaper. He won't be. I sign Arraez, trade Lewis for a change of scenery candidate (Grayson Rodriguez?), a C like Austin Wells,  or prospects, and move Clemens to IB backed up Roden as 1B/4th OF (Roden hits LH pitching well so I don't worry about 2 LH hitting 1Bs). I also consider trading Caratini for prospects and moving Jackson to the 2nd C role.  Lineup - Keaschall RF/DH, Arraez 2B, Buxton CF/DH, Jeffers C, Clemens 1B, Lee 3B, Jenkins OF/DH, Culpepper SS, ERod OF/DH. If Jeffers isn't re-signed, Trade for Austin Wells or sign Tyler Stephenson, Carson Kelly, or Auston Hedges. They hit 9, everyone else moves up 1. Bench is Roden (1B/OF/DH),  Caratini or Jackson (2nd C, could trade Caratini), Kreidler (UTL), Martin (2B/5th OF).

Baseball America’s survey of managers, executive and scouts places Arraez’s defense at near Gold Glove level!

 

 

 

 

 

[Greglw3]

On 11/6/2026 at 2:21 PM, Road trip said:

I love his bat, his attitude, his hustle...and he's just fun to watch.

I have doubts that the significant defensive improvement is sustainable, or even real.

My heart wants to sign Arraez, but my brain isn't really on board unless the price is right and the contract length is more like 2 years instead of 3.  But who know, maybe the price will be right?  He's a hard player to put a value on.  If the Phillies pass, well, the Yankees and Boston both may need help at 2b and will put in bids.  But maybe they don't value him either??  He might be one of those guys that will get progressively cheaper as the off season progresses.  That sort of happened last year when he finally signed with SF.

To allay your doubts about his defense, I googled for the human perspective

[arby58]

7 hours ago, DJL44 said:

Now do Ryan Kreidler

Kreidler is gonna get $16 million??

[Whammy]

22 hours ago, RpR said:

It would be fun to have him win another batting title with the Twins.

With a league average OBP?

[bjorks]

1 hour ago, arby58 said:

They both put a premium on speed and defense, and that not Arraez.

If you believe Ron Washington is a magician, Arraez's defense at 2B was better than anything we had last year. I don't disagree, but it's intriguing. 

[Greglw3]

8 hours ago, arby58 said:

I’m a no on this. Arraez does one thing really well: he gets on base. He does the next thing - actually score runs - not nearly as well. He was tied for 102nd last year in runs scored with 67, and that is not an outlier for him. He rarely is anywhere near the top in MLBB runs scored.

Arraez is mostly a singles hitter who does not run well, and in his age 30 season next year, that isn’t going to change. Kody Clemens is a better fielder, baserunner, and power hitter than Arraez. He scored more runs (72) and had a similar WAR - and he makes a lot less than $16 million. Play him there and figure out other team needs with the saved $16 million.

Arraez has scored 88 runs in a full season and had 33 doubles, 7 triples and 6 HR last year plus 10 SB in 11 attempts.

7 triples and 10 SB in 11 attempts - does that make Clemens a better baserunner?

Also, quick, off the top of your head, since Rod Carew hit .388 in 1977, how many players have equaled Luis Arraez’s .354 batting average for a full major league season?

And as for Clemens defense being better, the experts disagree

[DJL44]

16 minutes ago, Greglw3 said:

as for Clemens defense being better, the experts disagree

Maybe you can post that blurb from Baseball America a seventh time….

[Major League Ready]

5 hours ago, RpR said:

So far, short examples, Culpepper is starting to look like, Keaschall, good bat, not much glove.

Culpepper was a bit rough defensively with the Twins.   However, I watched a lot of his games with the Saints and he looked pretty darn good.  He is a far better defender than Keaschall.  It's not even close.