The San Diego Padres seem to be in a festive mood during the holiday season. Michael King returned to the fold after agreeing to a three-year, $75 million contract, and do not dismiss another reunion occurring with Luis Arraez before the start of Spring Training.
Baseball’s best pure hitter
The Friar Faithful love Arraez because he is one of the best pure contact hitters in baseball. Few of his contemporaries can match his bat-to-ball skills, as he struck out only 215 times during his seven-year major league career. The lone hitter who could match him is Mr. Padre, Tony Gwynn.
Arraez has a few detriments that have worked against him receiving contract offers in free agency this winter. Some teams have been hesitant to commit to a long-term deal with Arraez due to his lack of power. He has hit only 36 career home runs, but the three-time batting champ has 169 career doubles.
It is hard to imagine that batting .292 would be considered a down season. But Arraez is a lifetime .317 hitter, and the 25-point dropoff is concerning. However, none of this should be a deal-breaker for signing him.
Friars searching for more power
While increased power in baseball has led to more strikeouts and less activity on the basepaths, the Friars aim to evolve into a more explosive offense in 2026, ideally without sacrificing their signature high-contact approach.
Petco Park is not a home run haven, but the field dimensions are ideal for high-contact hitters. Their skillset is needed to battle against hard-throwing relievers late in close games. Having the ability to put the bat on the ball adds value to initiate a late-inning scoring rally that secures a win.
The Padres’ decision might come down to where they can get more power in the lineup. If Arraez returns to San Diego, then the front office will be in the market for a right-handed, power-hitting designated hitter to platoon with Gavin Sheets.
The offensive emergence from Sheets was a pleasant surprise last season. He set career-highs at the plate with a .252 batting average, 19 home runs, and 71 RBI, and he aims to sustain the same production in 2026. Thus, the Padres would have to find the perfect complement to balance out the lineup.
Re-signing King was the Padres’ top priority this offseason. The team-friendly deal offers some salary flexibility that could gain an agreement with Arraez. Various media outlets have projected his contract value between one-year, $7 million to two years, $14 million.
Free agency movement has been slow, but the market is expected to pick up after the holidays.
Arraez may not be the biggest name available on the open market, but he is the perfect fit for the 2026 Friars. The outcome depends on reaching a mutually beneficial contract agreement.