Luckily for opposing pitchers, they’ve spent recent years not needing to worry about facing two-time AL MVP Aaron Judge and three-time batting champion Luis Arráez in the same game.
At least one prominent MLB insider believes the two might not be far off from partnering in the New York Yankees lineup.
Arráez, who turned 28 on Wednesday, is months away from hitting free agency, and there have been no recent indications the San Diego Padres will extend him during the season. ESPN’s Buster Olney recalled a conversation with someone in the Yankees organization regarding the club potentially adding Arráez last offseason.
“I was like, ‘Man, you stick Arraez in that lineup in front of Aaron Judge or behind Judge or something like that, and he could do damage,’” Olney told San Diego sports personality Marty Caswell on her podcast.
San Diego Padres first baseman Luis Arraez
Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
The Yankees instead filled their first base void with former NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt. However, Goldschmidt turns 38 in September, and the Yankees don’t have a top first base prospect ready to take the reins next year.
Arráez would be an excellent fit in the Yankees’ lineup, especially given his plate discipline and ability to hit for contact. The three-time All-Star owns a .320 average and .367 on-base percentage since the start of 2021, drawing 154 walks to 155 strikeouts across 2,429 plate appearances.
Arráez entered play Friday hitting .283 with a home run, four RBI, and a .316 OBP over 58 plate appearances.
It’s unclear whether or not the Padres would consider trading Arráez ahead of the July 31 deadline. He’s already been traded three times since the end of the 2022 season, potentially partly because Olney said others don’t see the San Diego Padres first baseman as an “elite player.”
“I think he’s the guy that everybody in the trade deadline would [want to] have [because] he would plug a hole,” Olney said.
