Padres thrilled by trade for 'baller' Luis Arráez, solidifying San Diego as NL contender

PHOENIX — The San Diego Padres slashed $80 million from their payroll, lost their Cy Young winner, All-Star closer, three other starters and traded away one of the game’s marquee hitters.

Yet, Friday night, they showed just why they believe they can be playing in October.

The Padres acquired two-time batting champion Luis Arráez from the Miami Marlins for three prospects and one reliever, the teams confirmed on Saturday morning.

While Padres GM A.J. Preller and manager Mike Shildt remained mum until the deal became official, the Padres players were ecstatic with the news, believing that Arráez will make an immediate impact on their 17-18 team.

"It’s really amazing," Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. said after their 7-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. "That guy is a baller. That guy is probably the closest to Tony Gwynn as there is right now. I’m looking forward to seeing him in our lineup."

Gwynn, the late Hall of Famer, won eight batting titles for the Padres. The Padres haven’t had a player hit .300 with at least 500 games with the team since Gwynn in 2001.

Arráez is a .324 career hitter who won the 2023 batting title hitting .354 last season for the Marlins, and the 2022 batting title (.316) with the Minnesota Twins.

"We got one of the best hitters in the game, so it’s going to be helpful for our ballclub," Padres All-Star third baseman Manny Machado said. "We’re excited to have him. It’s a good piece that we’re adding. It’s definitely going to make our lineup a lot longer …

"And just a good dude. He’s awesome. He works his ass off. He’s going to fit well in this clubhouse."

Arráez is expected to be the primary DH, but could also shuffle between first base and second base. It allows the Padres to shift Xander Bogaerts from second base to shortstop occasionally in place of Ha-Seong Kim, who could play third base when Machado is used as the DH. Bogaerts and Kim each have struggled this season, with Bogaerts hitting .216 with a .572 OPS while Kim is hitting .211 with a .693 OPS.

"You’re always looking for more offense," Shildt said, "and a left-handed bat to balance the lineup."

Padres starter Dylan Cease, who was acquired the last week of spring training from the Chicago White Sox, has first-hand knowledge of Arráez’s talent. Cease faced him 24 times while pitching against him in the AL Central when Arráez was with the Twins.

"He’s the best contact hitter in baseball, I would think," Cease said. "He always has good at-bats. He’s always getting on base. And he definitely makes a team a lot better. It’s very exciting. …

"I think it’s just a commitment to going out and doing what it takes, and I really respect that."

The best aspect of the deal for the Padres, who are bumping up against the luxury tax with Arráez owed $10.1 million, is that the trade didn’t require losing a single person from their 26-man roster. The Marlins will receive outfield prospects Dillon Head and Jakob Marsee, first-base prospect Nathan Martorella and reliever Woo-Suk Go. Head, a 19-year-old speedy outfielder, is considered the Padres’ best prospect in the deal, ranked eighth in their farm system after being selected in the first round of last year’s draft. Yet, none of the players are ranked in the game’s top 100 prospects.

While the Padres no longer have the surplus of star power of a year ago, with Cy Young winner Blake Snell in San Francisco, All-Star outfielder Juan Soto in New York, closer Josh Hader in Houston, and starters Seth Lugo and  Michael Wacha in Kansas City, the Padres believe this team is capable of reaching the postseason after sitting home last October.

"It’s great addition to the lineup," Padres first baseman Jake Cronenworth said. "Adding a guy like that to the lineup, and getting us the production wherever he’s going to hit, is huge for us.

"We have a really good team right now."

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Padres' trade for Luis Arráez makes big statement: 'Guy is a baller'