Jul 6, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres relief pitcher Robert Suarez (75) and Luis Arraez (4) leave the field after the Padres beat the Texas Rangers 4-1 at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Padres All-Star Free Agent Predicted to Leave San Diego for Yankees

Originally posted on San Diego Padres on SI
By Aaron Coloma | Last updated Sep 13, 2025 2:00 PM ET

Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter predicted San Diego Padres infielder Luis Arraez will join the New York Yankees when he enters free agency following the 2025 season.

Reuter cites Arraez as a perfect fir for the Yankees due to his elite bat to ball skillset, which would aid an offense that strikes out more than every team except the Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Angels.

"Assuming Trent Grisham walks in free agency, the Yankees will be lacking an obvious candidate to hit leadoff," wrote Reuter. "Adding a contact-oriented hitter like Luis Arraez to an offense that ranks sixth in the majors with 1,267 strikeouts would bring some balance."

The Yankees will likely lose first baseman Paul Goldschmidt in free agency and Arraez, who has played 110 games at first base this season, is a perfect fit. Outside of MVP candidate Aaron Judge, the Yankees don't have a single player batting above .280.

Arraez's ability to put the ball in play would be a huge addition, especially due to the favorable ballpark dimensions at Yankee Stadium on his pull side.

Arraez won three batting titles from 2022-24, and is still in the race to take his fourth this season. He is batting .285 with a .706 OPS, and has been a staple in the Padres lineup since his arrival last May.

While he has come under fire recently due to his approach, Arraez is still batting .333 in September and is the best in the league at what he does.

While the prospect of going to the Yankees is alluring for almost anyone, Arraez has insisted he wishes to stay in San Diego despite his recent criticisms.

"The San Diego Padres mean a lot because they gave me a lot of opportunity, especially play here in the beautiful city and right to the beautiful fans," Arraez said. "The crowd here is every day full and I love San Diego. I love San Diego. I hope I continue to do my job there and try to do something good for the fans because a lot of fans support me."

If the Padres were to lose Arraez, they could look to higher-end free agents in the winter, such as All-Stars Pete Alonso or Josh Naylor. They could also look to bring back Ryan O'Hearn or Gavin Sheets to play first base.