san francisco giants And louis erez They agreed to terms on a one-year contract, sources told ESPN’s Jorge Castillo on Saturday.
Arraez entered this winter looking to play second base full-time, and that’s where the Giants intended to play him, filling out an infield rafael devers, Willie Adams And matt chapman.
At a time when hitters consistently chase, slug and strike out more than ever, Arraez – a contact-oriented player who prides himself on spraying balls into empty areas of the field – stands as the ultimate outlier.
Arraez won three consecutive batting titles from 2022 to 2024, during which he boasted a .328 batting average and struck out 106 times overall – surpassed by 138 players in 2025 alone. During that three-year period, Arraez led the majors in hits (576) and strikeout rate (5.6%), but ranked 130th in walks (109) and 131st in slugging percentage (.426), a clear indication of his strengths and shortcomings.
Arraez, a 32-year-old left-handed hitter from Venezuela, has made three All-Star teams and won two Silver Sluggers in a seven-season career. But two teams have traded him: the minnesota twins in January 2023 and miami marlins In May 2024.
The 2025 campaign marked Arraez’s first full season San Diego PadresWho initially parted ways with three prospects to use them at the top of their star-studded lineup. This was considered the worst offensive season of his career, as Áraz’s batting average dropped to .299 and his adjusted OPS fell below league average for the first time. He walked 13 more times than he struck out, but he added only eight home runs and 11 stolen bases, propelling him to just 0.9 FanGraphs wins above replacement.
Arraez has shown versatility in playing first and second base, but his defense has consistently been rated substandard. The bat is his weapon.
ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez contributed to this report.
