SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- On the first day of spring workouts for Giants pitchers and catchers, most of the attention focused on the arrival of the club’s newest lineup addition: three-time batting champion Luis Arraez.
Arraez reported to Scottsdale Stadium after finalizing a one-year, $12 million deal with the Giants on Tuesday, giving him a chance to suit up in the black and orange for the first time.
The Giants won’t hold their first full-squad workout until Sunday, but Arraez wasted no time reacclimating himself to second base, a position he hasn’t played full-time since 2023. He is already working closely with infield guru Ron Washington, who put him through several drills on the backfields on Tuesday.
“I think he can help me a lot,” Arraez said. “I’m excited to go out there and work with him. I can’t wait.”
Arraez primarily played first base for the Padres last season due to defensive concerns, but he sought a return to his natural position when he hit free agency this winter. He had multiyear offers from other teams, but he said he preferred to take a one-year deal from the Giants because they were willing to give him a chance to play second base.
“They gave me a big opportunity,” Arraez said. “They trust me. They want me to go out there and enjoy it and play my natural position. That’s why I picked this job here.”
San Francisco reportedly explored trades for the Cardinals’ Brendan Donovan, the Cubs’ Nico Hoerner and the Nationals’ CJ Abrams before eventually pivoting to the 28-year-old Arraez, who is known for his elite bat-to-ball skills and leads active players with a .317 career batting average over his seven seasons with the Twins, Marlins and Padres.
Arraez has topped the National League in hits in each of the past two seasons, displaying the knack for contact that Buster Posey -- another former NL batting champion -- has put a premium on since taking over as the Giants’ president of baseball operations.
Giants' second basemen tied for 26th in the Majors with a .617 OPS in 2025, so Arraez should help deepen a lineup that is projected to include three other talented infielders in third baseman Matt Chapman, shortstop Willy Adames and first baseman Rafael Devers.
“I think we’re all really optimistic about [Washington] getting Luis into a good spot defensively,” Posey said. “He’s the best bat-to-ball guy in all of baseball. You look at the strikeout rate last year. He’s won three batting titles. I know we don’t get as excited about batting titles as we used to, but to win three batting titles by age 28 is pretty remarkable. I think he’s going to fit into our lineup really well. As far as the defense, it’s not going to be for a lack of effort and work on his part and [from] the coaching staff.”
A left-handed hitter, Arraez hit .292 with a .719 OPS and eight home runs over 154 games for San Diego last year, all while recording the lowest strikeout rate (3.1%) among qualified hitters since Tony Gwynn (2.6%) in 1995.
Arraez summed up his approach thusly: “I hate strikeouts. Trust yourself. Trust yourself and go out there and compete. Try to put the ball in play. Hitting is simple. It’s not easy. It’s not impossible. But bro, that’s why we train every day. Be simple and then try to put the ball in play.”
While Arraez excels at spraying the ball all over the field, he rarely posts impressive exit velocities and finished last among qualified hitters with a 16.7% hard-hit rate in 2025. He also finished last year with a career-low 99 OPS+, which put him a tick below league average.
Arraez believes his performance at the plate was hampered by a concussion he suffered in Houston last April, but he said he’s past that and is confident that he’ll be able to emerge as a key bat for the Giants. His contact skills could make him a good leadoff option for the club, but he’ll have to produce enough to make up for his deficiencies with the glove, as he’s tallied -35 Outs Above Average (OAA) since 2023, the second-worst mark in the Majors behind Abrams.
San Francisco could try to mitigate Arraez’s defensive shortcomings by regularly mixing in Casey Schmitt and Christian Koss at second base late in games. Arraez’s arrival figures to push Schmitt into a super-utility role, though Schmitt has grown accustomed to playing all over the infield over his last three seasons with the Giants.
Arraez is the second free-agent position player the Giants have signed this offseason, joining center fielder Harrison Bader, who finalized a two-year, $20.5 million contract last month. San Francisco also bolstered its pitching staff by signing veteran starters Adrian Houser (two years, $22 million) and Tyler Mahle (one year, $10 million) and relievers Sam Hentges (one year, $1.4 million) and Jason Foley (one year, $2 million).