The Philadelphia Phillies once again fell short in the playoffs this year.
The Phillies lost to the Atlanta Braves in the NL Wild Card series and are now facing some serious questions heading into the offseason.
One of their biggest questions is what they will do with star infielder Luis Arraez. The 29-year-old can hit the free agent market this offseason, and the Phillies will need to decide if they want to keep him.
Yet, a new prediction now has Arraez leaving the Phillies for one of their National League rivals.
Philadelphia Phillies Predicted to Lose Luis Arraez to Pittsburgh Pirates in Free Agency
In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Tim Kelly predicted that Luis Arraez will leave the Phillies for the Pittsburgh Pirates in free agency.
“If Lowe ends up not returning to Pittsburgh, the Buccos will have a hole at second base. One way to soften the negative reaction to not bringing Lowe back after an excellent contract year is to sign a replacement as accomplished as Arraez,” Kelly wrote. “You could do worse than a middle-infield pairing of Arraez and Konnor Griffin, especially in terms of offensive production.”
With Lowe being a pending free agent, it makes sense that Arraez has been named a potential target for the Pirates. He would be a nice replacement for Lowe if he walks. This is especially so when noting that Pittsburgh will be looking to get into the playoffs next year.
The Pirates could use a high-impact contact hitter like Arraez as they aim to take that next step. Thus, it is understandable that the Pirates are being predicted to steal Arraez from the Phillies.
Looking at Arraez’s Time With the Phillies
The Phillies acquired Arraez from the San Francisco Giants before the trade deadline. This was after Arraez had four home runs and a .324 batting average in 105 games before the trade. He was also named to his fourth career All-Star Game.
Arraez cooled off after being traded to the Phillies, though. In 46 games with Philadelphia, he posted two home runs and a .278 batting average. Overall, he still hit fairly well for contact in Philadelphia, but he was not as effective. Due to this, it is fair to wonder if the Phillies could let him walk this offseason.
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see what happens between the Phillies and Arraez this offseason. If they do not come to terms on a new deal, the Pirates could be a team to watch. He would give them another veteran star, which is a real need for the NL Central club.
Philadelphia Phillies Suddenly Predicted to Lose Luis Arraez to NL Rival