Source: Padres nearing deal for Marlins 2B Luis Arraez

[NWinAZ]

The San Diego Padres are nearing a deal to acquire second baseman Luis Arraez from the Miami Marlins for reliever Woo-Suk Go and prospects Dillon Head, Jakob Marsee, and Nathan Martorella, a source told ESPN's Jeff Passan on Friday night.

The trade is pending medical review but is expected to be finalized soon.

The transaction represents the first significant move for the Marlins since Peter Bendix took over as the team's president of baseball operations last November after Kim Ng departed. It marks the beginning of the Marlins' teardown of an underachieving roster that has produced the third-worst record in the majors at 9-24 with a minus-59 run differential after reaching the postseason in 2023.

On the other side, it's another aggressive deal for A.J. Preller, the leader of the Padres' front office since 2014. Arraez, one of the sport's best contact hitters, will give the Padres a needed left-handed-hitting weapon after Juan Soto was sent to the New York Yankees in December. San Diego is 16-18 with a neutral run differential, 4.5 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West standings.

Arraez, 27, was the Marlins' best player, an All-Star and batting champion each of the last two seasons. This season, he is batting .299 with a .719 OPS in 33 games, all started at second base. He also has extensive experience at first base.

Arraez is expected to start games as the Padres' designated hitter, but the club plans to cycle through the DH spot. Jake Cronenworth, Xander Bogaerts and Manny Machadocould also get at-bats there. Bogaerts has been the club's starting second baseman.

Go spent seven seasons in the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) before signing a two-year deal with a mutual option worth $4.5 million guaranteed during the offseason. The 25-year-old right-hander appeared in 10 games for double-A San Antonio, posting a 4.38 ERA across 12 ⅓ innings after failing to make the Padres' bullpen out of spring training.

Head was the Padres' first-round pick (25th overall) last year out of high school. The 19-year-old centerfielder is batting .237 with a .683 OPS and three stolen bases in 21 games in low-A.

Martorella is batting .294 with an .282 OPS in 23 games in San Antonio. The Padres selected the 23-year-old first baseman in the fifth round of the 2022 draft. Marsee, a 22-year-old outfielder, has spent the season in San Antonio batting .185 with two home runs. He was a sixth-round pick in 2022 out of Central Michigan.

 

[NWinAZ]

So if true, we have missed out on him twice. A perfect hitter for our club and plays 1B so we can dump DP-No 'D' France.

 

[wazzu31]

So is everyone available from the Marlins then? They got quite a few guys who wouldn’t be bad for the Mariners, not giving up Ford, Young or Emerson good but good.

 

[NWinAZ]

So is everyone available from the Marlins then? They got quite a few guys who wouldn’t be bad for the Mariners, not giving up Ford, Young or Emerson good but good.

I would have thought we had enough to go after Arraez. Honestly I have no idea wholes is on Miami worth going after. I am not a fan of Chisholm. Sounds like an immature brat.

Bryan De La Cruz sounds interesting if they are selling. OF who is 27 and has some good numbers.​

 

[wazzu31]

I would have thought we had enough to go after Arraez. Honestly I have no idea wholes is on Miami worth going after. I am not a fan of Chisholm. Sounds like an immature brat.

Bryan De La Cruz sounds interesting if they are selling. OF who is 27 and has some good numbers.​

Him and Sanchez are a couple of guys I think would be decent for the Mariners. Don’t know much about Jazz other than he seems fun I guess. Just the way I take it is the Marlins offense is basically like the Mariners where they have all underperformed

 

[NWinAZ]

Alden González

@Alden_Gonzalez
·
40m

Source: The Marlins are paying Luis Arraez’s contract down to the minimum in their deal with the Padres.He’s making $10.6M this season, in his second-to-last year before free agency.

 

[NWinAZ]

Him and Sanchez are a couple of guys I think would be decent for the Mariners. Don’t know much about Jazz other than he seems fun I guess. Just the way I take it is the Marlins offense is basically like the Mariners where they have all underperformed

Jazz isn't liked by some of his teammates because of his attitude. Never a good thing. Pass for me.

They are the National League Mariners...except with a title.

 

[wazzu31]

Jazz isn't liked by some of his teammates because of his attitude. Never a good thing. Pass for me.

They are the National League Mariners...except with a title.

Don’t they have 2?

 

[NWinAZ]

Don’t they have 2?

I was thinking that but wasn't 100% sure and was too lazy to look it up.

 

[NWinAZ]

Jerry you out there?
https://twitter.com/Buster_ESPN
Buster Olney

@Buster_ESPN
·
11m

Rival execs say the Marlins hadn’t been actively shopping Arraez, and they assume this was a case of the Padres targeting the player w a big push. And the Marlins realizing there was not going to be broad interest in Arraez later this summer.

 

[seattlefan75]

Luis Arraez is an awesome player that will be on the Padres this season and 2025 before going into free agency if a long term extension isn't agreed. Looking at what the Padres gave up to get him which was their 1st rounder last year, a double (AA) player, and a few throw in lower tier players.

The equivalent of this from the Mariners I would think would be Colt Emerson, Tyler Locklear and a few no names. I am not saying if the trade was worth it or not but I think that is the asking price. As far as Luis Arraez I will say that Cole Young will be in the league and will most likely be our 2nd baseman and we start to phase our Jorge Polanco. If Arraez was an outfielder I think this trade would have been possibly worth it but our long term focus at 2nd base is already set with Cole Young so I wouldn't have pulled the trigger on it.

 

[DrewScott]

This trade is disapointing to me personally. I live in South florida and last year really enjoyed watching Luis Arreaz chase .400 even into late July if I remember correctly. I even went to a few games to watch him live and he had two hits each game I was there. Overall I've lost interest in following MLB and all sports in general over the last 10 years, but a guy chasing .400 or a hitting streak that gets over 30 will pull me back in to see if the guy can do it.

 

[srf1957]

Arraz plays lousy D. Basically DH . Borderline 1st base

 

[seattlefan75]

Arraz plays lousy D. Basically DH . Borderline 1st base

I was wondering why the Padres had him play DH I was thinking the same that he defense was lacking.

 

[NWinAZ]

Arraz plays lousy D. Basically DH . Borderline 1st base

No worse than France at 1B.

 

[wazzu31]

Arraz plays lousy D. Basically DH . Borderline 1st base

It’s why no Mariners fan should be upset they didn’t get him. While he is a great contact hitter, he would be a terrible fit for this team unless Jerry put France on waivers

 

[jerseyhawksfan79]

It’s why no Mariners fan should be upset they didn’t get him. While he is a great contact hitter, he would be a terrible fit for this team unless Jerry put France on waivers

It would have been a waste of prospects considering yes he gets on base but no one to bring him home. We need hitters with pop.

 

[wazzu31]

It would have been a waste of prospects considering yes he gets on base but no one to bring him home. We need hitters with pop.

It’s not bringing him home IMO that would be a problem. He can’t play defense in any positive metric that helps a run prevention team. The M’s have 4 DH’s defensively already in Garver, Haniger, Polanco and France. Adding another dude on the roster that is a defensive liability makes no sense. The 90’s Mariners could have a crappy defense because their offense was so dominant but can’t really do that now when the staff, while great, isn’t full of Randy Johnson’s where the defense only needs like 15 outs.

 

[jerseyhawksfan79]

It’s not bringing him home IMO that would be a problem. He can’t play defense in any positive metric that helps a run prevention team. The M’s have 4 DH’s defensively already in Garver, Haniger, Polanco and France. Adding another dude on the roster that is a defensive liability makes no sense. The 90’s Mariners could have a crappy defense because their offense was so dominant but can’t really do that now when the staff, while great, isn’t full of Randy Johnson’s where the defense only needs like 15 outs.

Well said. It would have been a bad trade and one I'm glad the FO stayed away from.

 

[NWinAZ]

It’s not bringing him home IMO that would be a problem. He can’t play defense in any positive metric that helps a run prevention team. The M’s have 4 DH’s defensively already in Garver, Haniger, Polanco and France. Adding another dude on the roster that is a defensive liability makes no sense. The 90’s Mariners could have a crappy defense because their offense was so dominant but can’t really do that now when the staff, while great, isn’t full of Randy Johnson’s where the defense only needs like 15 outs.

Ya I have to disagree. If he is replacing France at 1B, then it isn't adding another bad defensive player it is just replacing one with one but one tat can actually hit. I will not refuse any guy that can actually hit for no matter what other flaws he may have. This team can't afford to be that picky when it comes to hitters. I think they made a big mistake, but one I never thought they would go after in the first place.