The Arizona Diamondbacks do still have needs along their lineup, as difficult as that may be to believe given the pitching-focused messaging of GM Mike Hazen and co.
In particular, there’s a difficulty at first base. The D-backs don’t have an everyday first baseman, and there are questions about platoon options such as Pavin Smith and Tyler Locklear.
But in a recent article from Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer, the Diamondbacks were named a fit for one “buy-low” first base option — former Padres first baseman Luis Arraez.
Arizona Diamondbacks Named Fit For Luis Arraez
Sep 22, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres first baseman Luis Arraez (4) celebrates after hitting an RBI single during the seventh inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
Here’s what Rymer had to say about Arraez as a potential fit for the D-backs:
“Luis Arraez was always going to be the most polarizing free agent on this winter’s market. And judging from how little buzz there’s been on him, it would seem teams are mostly unimpressed.
“This is justifiable in the sense that Arraez has been a roughly 1-WAR player in each of the last two seasons. The bat-to-ball skill is the best there is, but it doesn’t come with sides of walks, power, baserunning or defense.
“Even so, this is a lifetime .317 hitter with three batting titles to his name. He also entered the market hotter than his overall line would suggest, as he recovered from a slow start to hit a decidedly more Arraez-like .310 in the second half of 2025.
“Even if all he can do is set the table, a team with enough power in the middle of its lineup could make the most of that talent. This year’s San Diego Padres were not a good proof of concept in this regard, as their 152 total home runs were the third-fewest in the league,” Rymer wrote.
It’s not that Arraez isn’t a useful bat. He certainly is one of the best when it comes to finding a way to put bat to ball.
But Arraez doesn’t suit the D-backs’ needs, and doesn’t align with the identity Arizona has looked to return to since the 2025 Trade Deadline.
Now granted, adding as much on-base percentage as possible to a lineup can be a weapon. But Hazen and manager Torey Lovullo tend to prefer a defense-oriented infield.
Arraez, as a first baseman, was abysmal in that category. Per Statcast, he offered -5 Fielding Run Value and -9 Outs Above Average.
On top of that fact, he provides very little pop, rarely takes walks and is not particularly fast or agile on the bases. So while Arraez is still a valuable bat, he’s not the type of player the D-backs have generally targeted, especially following their 2025 Deadline deals.
Arizona will likely steer clear, as have many other teams, it would appear.
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