The New York Yankees have been linked to Luis Arraez multiple times over the past few months. Arraez, a three-time All-Star and three-time Batting Champ, is a tough player to evaluate.
On one hand, he’s a career .323 hitter. There’s value in someone who gets on base at the level he does, but his power numbers have never been much of anything, hitting just 10 home runs once in his six-year career.
Batting average in the modern era isn’t what teams are typically looking for. That doesn’t take away what Arraez has done, as he’s been rewarded for his elite bat-to-ball skills, but is he the perfect fit for a Yankees team built on hitting home runs?
Caleb Moody of Just Baseball believes he could be, highlighting his potential in the Yankees leadoff spot.
“Luis Arráez could also be a trade option for them. With Torres not only leaving a hole a second but also in the leadoff spot in the lineup, Arráez and his great bat-to-ball abilities offer the Yankees a way to fill both of those needs left by Torres’ departure in one player.
“The caveat, however, is that Arráez is one of the few players in MLB who might be worse at second base than what we saw from Torres last season (-11 DRS). Is the trade-off worth it to add a three-time batting champion to the lineup? We will see,” Moody wrote on January 3.
What Would an Arraez Trade Be?
The New York Yankees moving someone like Jasson Dominguez for Arraez wouldn’t do them much good. Arraez hits free agency next offseason, so in a perfect world, the Yankees wouldn’t have to trade much in what could be a one-year rental.
The issue, however, is that the Yankees’ prospect situation isn’t what it once was. Any trade for a player of Arraez’s caliber would likely require them to move Dominguez or Spencer Jones unless the San Diego Padres were intrigued by some of the Yankee’s arms, which is possible.
James Nolan of FanSided pitched the idea of moving Jones in a trade for Arraez.
“Bringing in the two-time Silver Slugger would require giving up prospects. Currently, Jasson Dominguez isn’t going anywhere, as Cashman wants to grant him an opportunity to be the everyday left fielder. With Judge and Bellinger as New York’s other two outfielders, they could use their second-ranked prospect, Spencer Jones, as the prime trade bait.
Giving up prospects is always a risk, but the Yankees have a window to win a World Series now. They have one of the best pitching staffs in MLB, with Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, and Luis Gil headlining. The lineup looks very good, but it could use one more piece. Arraez leading off in 2025 for the Yankees would be the perfect way to complement Judge and the rest of the sluggers,” Nolan wrote on December 28.
Is Arraez a Good Fit for the Yankees?
There’s a lot for the New York Yankees to consider with Arraez. Their offseason moves have proven they want to improve their defense, and Arraez, despite Gleyber Torres leading second baseman in errors last season, isn’t much better.
According to Baseball Savant, Arraez ranked in the 1% range, showing how poor of a defender he is up the middle.
Unless the Yankees could land him for a package that’s too good to pass up on, a different option might be the better plan.
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3-Time All-Star ‘Could’ Be Trade Option for Yankees