Top Trade Landing Spots for Luis Arraez
Arraez has emerged as one of the best players sure to be moved at this year's deadline. Here are five teams that could look to add him.
One of this season’s most coveted trade chips will be San Francisco Giants infielder Luis Arraez. The 29-year-old is on a one-year deal and on pace for one of the best seasons of his career, making him a prime candidate to be relocated come the August 3 deadline.
Arraez isn’t the prototypical All-Star bat. He doesn’t hit the ball hard, he doesn’t barrel the ball much, and he doesn’t have good bat speed. His value comes from his well-known bat-to-ball skills and his emergence as of one of the better infield gloves in baseball.
The Giants’ second baseman has been arguably the best contact hitter in MLB every year since he broke into the league. His glove and inability to slug in the past have made him a polarizing star throughout his career.
In 2026, Arraez ranks in the 98th percentile with 10 OAA on Baseball Savant. According to Savant, he’s in the 100th percentile in whiff percentage and strikeout percentage, as can be expected from him every year. His ability to hit for average and strike out at just a 4.2% clip, along with the progress of his glove, makes him a great option for many teams looking to contend.
Tampa Bay Rays
Perhaps the most ideal landing spot for Arraez is Tampa Bay. The current leaders of the American League East after two disappointing years, the Rays are poised to give themselves that push above the rest of a weak AL.
The heart of the Rays lineup has three great hitters, but aside from them, they could really use a boost offensively. From the right side, Tampa Bay has two formidable hitters in Junior Caminero and Yandy Díaz. On the left-handed side, their biggest thumper is Jonathan Aranda, who needs some support.
Chandler Simpson hits for average and is a threat to swipe a bag every time he’s on base, but his overall numbers are below average.
The Rays haven’t found an answer at second base this season. Richie Palacios and Ben Williamson have seen time in the middle infield for Tampa Bay, but neither has provided much offensively. Both second base options have an OPS below .675.
Arraez would fit in on this team perfectly. The Rays would love to add a great defender up the middle that they could potentially slot into the two-hole spot in their lineup. If the Rays were to acquire Arraez, they could experiment with a lineup going Díaz, Arraez, Caminero, and Aranda. This top four would provide them with one of the best tops of the order in baseball.
Arraez would solve multiple problems for the Rays. He’d provide them a second baseman with plus defense, he’d add a reliable left-handed bat to the top of their lineup, and he would not add much money to their payroll. The question is whether the Rays will be willing to part with the necessary prospects from a farm system that is currently very deep.
Boston Red Sox
Three weeks ago, the conversations were about where the Red Sox would be shipping out several pieces of their roster. Boston, however, just pulled off a 15-game win streak that catapulted them into an American League Wild Card spot.
The focus for Boston now is quite clearly to buy. The front office owes it to the players to add to the roster, given their historic hot streak that has put them in prime playoff position. The Red Sox don’t need to go too crazy at the deadline, considering the weakness of the AL and the eventual returns of stars Roman Anthony and Garrett Crochet.
Like Tampa Bay, the Red Sox haven’t gotten much production from their second basemen this season. Marcelo Mayer was slashing .220/.282/.312 before an injury. Isiah Kiner-Falefa was solid before he, too, landed on the IL, but he’s better suited for a utility role. Boston could really use a boost to an offense that’s been well below league average throughout the season.
One complication regarding a target like Arraez is that Boston’s lineup is already left-handed heavy. That said, the Red Sox are actually one of baseball’s best offenses against left-handed pitching this season, while ranking among the league’s worst teams against right-handed arms. Arraez is still very good against lefties, but his .323 average and .816 OPS against right-handers are why this trade makes sense.
Between adding Arraez and slotting Anthony back in when he’s healthy, the Red Sox would gain a lot of production against right-handed pitching while not sacrificing much as one of MLB’s best hitting teams against southpaws.
Texas Rangers
The 2026 season has left a lot to be desired for the Texas Rangers. Despite that, they lead the American League West with a 51-51 record. If the Rangers want to get the edge over the Seattle Mariners for the remainder of the season, they will have to make a move that has a big impact. Arraez would provide that.
In 52 games, 27-year-old Justin Foscue has been an incredible revelation for the Rangers, playing second base for 33 of those contests. Texas also has infield players with flexibility. Foscue can play first and second base; Ezequiel Duran has played everywhere but catcher; and Nicky Lopez has played second, third, short and some outfield. They could easily find a place to put Luis Arraez.
Arraez himself can provide some positional flexibility, and the Rangers would likely be cycling players in and out around the field. The important part for Texas is adding a left-handed bat to the top of their lineup. Joc Pederson and Brandon Nimmo have been plus hitters for the club, but Arraez would be a better fit at leadoff than Pederson.
While it can be argued that the Rangers need to focus on adding to their pitching staff, an addition of Arraez to their lineup would give them a perfect left-handed bat to break up Josh Jung and Wyatt Langford in the lineup when they face right-handed starters.
The Rangers may not be a Luis Arraez away from getting back on top of the baseball world, but adding one of the best left-handed hitters available to the top of their lineup may give them the advantage over the Mariners as the teams remain in a dead heat.
Cleveland Guardians
The Guardians are a sneaky suitor in the Luis Arraez sweepstakes. Of course, the Guardians already have José Ramírez at third, Travis Bazzana at second, and Kyle Manzardo at first, but they could certainly use the offensive boost, as they have scored the third fewest runs in baseball this season.
The main question about the Guardians’ possible interest in Arraez is where they would play him. Manzardo is young, but he has not lived up to Cleveland’s expectations this year. The team is not going to give up Ramírez and Bazzana’s spots in the infield. So, the club can use him at first base and DH when needed.
The Guardians have just a .691 team OPS and just 102 home runs this season. While Arraez does not fit the bill of a power hitter, he can provide tremendous value to the top of a weak Cleveland lineup.
Similar to the Rays, the remaining salary on Arraez’s one-year contract won’t mess with their payroll, which they prefer to keep light. Cleveland’s lineup has an 87 wRC+ and a 99 wRC+ against lefties and righties, respectively, and Arraez’s ability to be an elite hitter against both sides would give them an instant boost no matter who is on the mound.
It’s no secret the Guardians prefer their team to be based around their pitching staff, winning a lot of low-scoring ballgames. Despite that, the club certainly should look to add an impactful bat while they’re locked in a tight American League Central race with the Chicago White Sox. Arraez’s bat-to-ball skills and ability to hit for average would work wonders for the top of Cleveland’s lineup.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The final suitor is the Los Angeles Dodgers. The best team in baseball has six of Just Baseball’s Top 100 Prospects. There is no doubt the two-time defending champions will be aggressive in their quest for a three-peat.
The Dodgers differ from every team on this list because the acquisition of Luis Arraez would be more of a luxury than a need. Even without Mookie Betts and Kyle Tucker playing up to the backs of their baseball cards, the team is still top three in runs, OPS, and wRC+. However, a team with a payroll and aspirations like the Dodgers is always looking to improve.
One place the Dodgers could look to upgrade is second base. Alex Freeland has gotten the majority of the starts for Los Angeles at the position, but he has not been able to produce enough to the Dodgers’ liking. Tommy Edman has seen some time there and has been mashing, but he has the ability to play all around the diamond.
As previously mentioned, the Dodgers arguably have the best farm system in baseball and are a team with not many glaring holes. They could use some bullpen help, but Edwin Díaz’s return will be a big boost. They don’t need starting pitching, but it also would not be surprising for them to try and use their farm to make a big splash for Tarik Skubal.
Ultimately, the Dodgers could not make a single move at the deadline, and they would still be the overwhelming favorites to win the World Series. However, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has the best team in the league, and he still has every incentive to improve it with ammunition from the best farm in baseball. Arraez’s addition would be just another All-Star added to an already star-studded roster, but there’s no doubt the Dodgers will remain aggressive.
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Chris is an intern at Just Baseball, specializing in Phillies coverage. Chris is from Central Jersey and currently attends Rutgers University. You can follow him on…