Luis Arraez Wants to Stay at Second Base—Even If He Gets Traded!

Updated July 13, 2026, 7:00 p.m. ET | Reporting from Philadelphia

What’s Happening with Luis Arraez?

Luis Arraez is a baseball player for the San Francisco Giants. He is a superstar at hitting (he’s been the best hitter in the league three times!).

Here is the situation:

• The Giants aren’t doing well this year (they’ve won 41 games and lost 55).
• Because they are struggling, the team might trade him (send him to a different team) before the trade deadline on August 3.
• Luis knows this might happen, but he has one big expectation for any team that wants him.

Arraez’s Big Wish for a Trade

Luis is okay with being traded, but he has one rule:

• He wants to keep playing second base (the spot in the middle of the infield).
• He does not want to go back to playing first base or be a "designated hitter" (a player who only bats and doesn’t play defense in the field).

He said it himself: "It’s going to be second base. I don’t like to go back to first base. I prepared my mind, I prepared my body only to play second base."

Important Point: Luis has worked hard to become a fantastic second baseman under a coach named Ron Washington. This makes him much more valuable to teams because he is now great with both his bat and his glove!

Why Second Base Matters So Much

Let’s break down why this position change is a big deal:

• Batting Awesome: Luis is hitting .330 this year (that’s a really high success rate for getting hits!).
• Past Problems: In the past, he played first base or was just a hitter (DH). Teams didn’t think he was as valuable because those spots usually need players who hit the ball super far (power), and he doesn’t do that much.
• New Skills: Now, as a second baseman who is "Gold Glove-caliber" (meaning he’s good enough to win the award for best defensive player), he is super useful.
• Future Plans: This also boosts his value significantly as he will test the "free agent market" this winter (a free agent is a player who can sign with any team they choose).

A number called WAR (which is like a scorecard for how helpful a player is to their team) shows this difference:

• In just over half a season this year, he scored 3.0 WAR.
• In the last two years combined, he only scored 2.6 WAR, even though he got 381 hits! Back then, he was traded from Miami to San Diego in 2024, and the Padres made the playoffs both of those seasons, but he was stuck playing first base or DH.

How Did We Get Here? The Giants’ Tough Season

• The Giants hoped Luis would help them win lots of games in 2025 with their new manager, Tony Vitello.
• Sadly, the season didn’t go as planned.
• They won 3 out of 4 games against Colorado recently to finish the first half, but they’d need a "July miracle" to avoid trading players away.
• Luis says it’s tough to think about leaving because his teammates (Willy Adames, Raffy Devers, Heliot Ramos, and Logan Webb) feel like family. He said: "They open the door for me."
• But he knows the truth: "It’s hard to leave, you know? But it’s a business."

As he and his new team may soon find out next month!

Summary

Luis Arraez is a super-star hitter for the struggling San Francisco Giants who has remade himself into a top-tier second baseman. As the August 3 trade deadline approaches, he expects to be traded but insists he will only play second base for his new team. While he loves his Giants "family," he knows baseball is a business, and a trade is likely coming soon.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

1. What is the "trade deadline"?
The trade deadline (August 3 in this story) is like a final buzzer for teams to swap players with each other during the season. After that date, they have to wait until the season ends to make trades.

2. What does "WAR" mean in baseball?
WAR stands for "Wins Above Replacement." Think of it as a grade that shows how many extra wins a player gives their team compared to a random substitute player. A higher WAR means the player is more valuable!

3. What is a "Gold Glove-caliber" player?
A "Gold Glove" is an award given to the best defensive (fielding) players. Saying someone is "Gold Glove-caliber" means they are playing well enough to win that award for their amazing catching and throwing skills.

4. Why doesn’t Luis want to be a Designated Hitter (DH)?
A DH only bats and doesn’t play defense in the field. Since Luis worked hard to become a great defensive second baseman, he wants to show off those skills and be more valuable to his team, rather than just standing around and hitting.