4 Trade Landing Spots For Giants' Luis Arraez
At 41-55, the Giants are near the bottom of the National League, and Arraez, a pending free agent on a one-year, $12 million deal, is the most obvious candidate to be moved.
The four-time All-Star continues to provide elite bat-to-ball skills, sitting around .325 this season, and has surprisingly become one of the better defensive second basemen in the game after the Giants gave him the chance to improve his glove.
Jeff Passan ranked him among the top trade candidates in baseball. Here are four landing spots that make sense.
Texas Rangers
The Rangers have been the most consistently linked team to Arraez.
Texas is in the AL West lead and is only a couple of pieces away from a World Series-caliber roster.
Arraez can play anywhere in the infield, meaning there would be no positional logjam, and his elite contact skills would be a strong fit for a Rangers lineup that ranks middle of the pack in batting average.
The key to unlocking his value would be the hitters around him driving him in.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Mark Feinsand of MLB.com named the Diamondbacks as a potential fit.
Arizona is determined to make the playoffs this season, and staying in the NL West would allow the Giants to deal Arraez without shipping him out of the division to a direct rival, though that dynamic could also complicate talks.
The Diamondbacks have a strong offensive core, and adding a pure hitter like Arraez near the top of the order would deepen an already dangerous lineup for a stretch run.
Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays are always looking for value, and Arraez fits their profile.
With the Blue Jays and Orioles struggling to stay consistent and the Red Sox a tougher out lately, Tampa Bay has a real shot at a playoff spot and could use an extra bat.
Arraez's contact-first approach and defensive versatility would be a natural addition for a Rays team that values flexible, high-contract-rate hitters.
New York Yankees
While it might seem like a long shot, the Yankees cannot be counted out.
The Bronx Bombers have dealt with a wave of injuries and could use another reliable performer at the plate, and they have the financial means to take on Arraez's contract.
His ability to play multiple infield spots would give manager Aaron Boone lineup flexibility down the stretch as New York pushes for a deep October run.
Arraez himself has acknowledged a trade could happen any day, though he has expressed a desire to return to San Francisco in the future if the fit remains.
For now, he is one of the deadline's most attractive rentals, and a contender is likely to land him before August 3.
