The New York Yankees have eyes on a standout All-Star who can provide their infield with top-shelf support. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Yankees are closely monitoring San Diego Padres infielder Luis Arraez for a potential trade.
Yankees were reportedly considering a trade for Luis Arraez
New York has been looking into Arraez. The three-time batting champion is as efficient as they come at the plate. Arraez has hit north of .315 at the plate in five of his six seasons in the Majors and owns a .323 batting average for his career.
Not only would he be an amazing talent who could get on base for the Yankees in their batting order, but he’d also be able to man the hot corner. Though he’s known for playing second and first base, Arraez does own 126 assists, 51 putouts, and 16 double plays turned with a .962 fielding percentage across 79 career games played at third.
Yankees now reportedly losing interest in Arraez
With the market shrinking, the Yankees could pull off one more impact move to round out their World Series-hopeful roster for 2025 and beyond. However, according to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman, Arraez is now “not seen as a fit” for the Yankees. It seems like the Bronx Bombers might be cooling off the Padres slugger.
Jon Morosi of MLB Network, meanwhile, reports that a trade for Arraez is still a “possibility” for the Yankees, however, the two parties “are not close right now.”
Yankees were previously considering a trade for Gavin Lux
Gavin Lux gave the Dodgers quality hitting in 2024. The 27-year-old slashed .251/.320/.383 with a .703 OPS in the regular season. He added 59 runs and 50 RBIs to his resume for the year.
The former 2022 National League triples leader delivered more timely hits in the 2024 postseason. He had five runs and four RBIs in the playoffs and notably hit .278 in Los Angeles’ National League Division Series victory over the San Diego Padres.
The Yankees had hoped he could bring quality slugging to the backend of their batting order and man the second base and shortstop slots in the infield. He posted a .980 fielding percentage at second base last time out with 179 putouts, 265 assists, and 68 double plays turned.
However, Lux was taken off the board on Monday night. The Dodgers traded him to the Cincinnati Reds, further shrinking the market for the Yankees as they pursue infield help.
The Yankees’ options are thinning out. With New York seemingly losing interest in Arraez, they might need to pivot to find new options in a decreasingly fruitful market.
