Luis Arraez Has Returned To Prime Form in San Francisco
The 29-year-old has completely rejuvenated his career with a defensive epiphany and return to form on offense.
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Luis Arraez was undoubtedly the most polarizing free agent heading into last winter. So much so that it led to a slow free agency that felt like it would never end.
It finally did when the San Francisco Giants signed him to a one-year, $12 million pact. The biggest surprise, however, was that the organization was bringing him in to play second base.
Outside of the fact that it was for just one year, the deal didn’t make a lot of sense. Arraez had a history of extremely poor defense at the position and a bat that appeared to be declining.
Fortunately for Buster Posey, Arraez looks like the best version of himself. Despite a disastrous start for the Giants as a whole, Arraez has been everything they could have asked for through the first month and a half of the season.
Stats were taken prior to play on May 15.
Mr. 300 Has Returned
Arraez is known for one thing and one thing only: hitting for average.
Last season when he dipped below .300 for the first time since 2021, there was real skepticism around whether he’d provide any value whatsoever if that one ability continued to decline.
Arraez’s 36 home runs since the start of the 2019 season is the second fewest in baseball among players with at least 2,500 plate appearances, and his defense certainly wasn’t helping.
San Francisco was willing to take that chance and it made sense. In 2025, they ranked 25th in baseball with a .235 average as a team, and acquiring players with good bat-to-ball skills has been a clear trend since Posey took over as the team’s president of baseball operations.
So far, the risk has paid off. He may not have a home run as we enter play on May 15, but he’s still been one of the Giants’ best hitters through the first month and a half. His .763 OPS ranks second among qualified Giants, and his .330 average and 2.5% strikeout rate both lead the squad.
Of course, San Francisco’s historically bad offensive start has been rough to watch. However, for a group that has struggled with striking out in big moments and getting on base consistently for years now, Arraez has been a refreshing addition to the middle of the lineup.
Gold Glove Arraez?
The biggest question with Arraez heading into 2026 would be his defense. San Francisco had a superb defensive option there in Casey Schmitt if they decided to sign nobody at the position.
Arraez hadn’t played there in almost two years after the majority of his Padres tenure was spent at first base, and, quite frankly, he had been awful at second over his career.
Among players with at least 2,000 innings at second base between 2019 and 2025, Arraez’s -36 Outs Above Average and -28 Fielding Run Value rank dead last in baseball. His Defensive Runs Saved weren’t nearly as bad, but were still an issue at -6.
The 2026 campaign has been a completely different — and remarkable — story, however. Not only has Arraez been the best defensive second baseman in baseball, he’s been one of the best defenders in the sport. His +8 OAA leads all second baseman while his +4 DRS ranks third.
Not to mention, his Fielding Run Value of +7 is the third best mark in Major League Baseball, position aside. The only two players ahead of him are perennial Gold Glove finalists Pete Crow-Armstrong and Bobby Witt Jr.
Nico Hoerner has long been known as the best defensive second baseman in baseball, and Arraez is even outperforming him on that side of the ball. While that’s not going to sustain, it sheds light onto just how good he has been at the position thus far. It’s completely out of nowhere, but Arraez is showing that he’s more than just a slap hitter.
Throughout the course of spring training, a lot was made about the hire of Ron Washington and what that could do for Arraez’s defense. However, would one coach make that big of a difference? Clearly, the answer is yes.
The defensive development has led to an extreme increase in value from Arraez. His 1.3 fWAR through his first 41 games has already surpassed his marks from each of the previous two seasons.
Final Thoughts
Whether this ends in Arraez and the Giants fighting for a wild-card spot or him being a premier trade chip at this year’s deadline, there’s zero questions about Arraez’s long-term value. The defense looks sustainable, and the bat has returned closer to what we knew prior to his down year in 2025.
With these developments, Arraez has completely rejuvenated his career. After a quiet market this previous offseason, the 29-year-old could be one of the more sought after players in free agency this time around.
However, that’s months down the line. For now, Bay Area fans are enjoying these developments on their squad night in and night out. What once looked like a questionable signing now looks like an absolute bargain for Buster Posey and the Giants.
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Written by
Michael Monreal got his start in baseball media when he started his own website covering the San Francisco Giants after playing two years of college baseball.…