Rumors of the New York Yankees coming together with San Diego Padres infielder Luis Arraez this offseason may be well-liked by three-time All-Star.
Luis Arraez reacts to prospects of trade to Yankees
Arraez replied with two smiley-faced emojis to an Instagram post from Jomboy Media’s Jimmy O’Brien on Tuesday regarding reports of the Yankees’ interest in the three-time batting champion (h/t Maren Angus-Coombs of San Diego Padres on SI).
O’Brien did give his take on the potential pairing. He accentuated the Venezuelan talent’s underwhelming defensive output as a main detracting factor for New York, while also noting Arraez’s exceptional ability to connect on pitches and get on base as a reason why he’d work wonders for the team’s batting order.
That may be the reason why one of Arraez’s emojis was upside down. Should it not have been a partly positive and partly negative reaction to O’Brien’s appraisal itself, that cryptic message could signal his endorsement of a move to the Bronx, NY.
Arraez could address the Yankees’ need for an elite leadoff hitter
Arraez’s impact at the plate is riveting. He’s hit above .310 in all but one of his six seasons in the MLB. He’d be perhaps the most reliable player to reach base early in the Yankees’ order next time out, which would open the door for reigning American League MVP Aaron Judge to rack up RBIs due to his incredible power-hitting abilities out of the third slot in their order.
The 27-year-old Arraez would be able to replace either Gleyber Torres out of the leadoff spot, or Juan Soto out of the second slot in the order, as both talents left New York for the Detroit Tigers and New York Mets respectively in free agency this offseason. New York already had worries about Torres’ defense at second base, which contributed to him not being brought back by the franchise.
Arraez’s elite efficiency can trump lackluster defense
As for Arraez, the concerns over his defense are warranted, as he posted a .977 fielding percentage in 42 games at second base last time out and has drawn criticism for his below-average defensive metrics. While he’s not a power hitter by any stretch, how he can help the Yankees move along the bags is worth contemplating a trade for. Albeit, the Yankees are reportedly unlikely to shuffle the deck to acquire him, though anything can happen as the rest of the offseason unfolds.
