Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images
Missing out on Gavin Lux doesn’t necessarily mean the New York Yankees will pursue Luis Arráez as their next starting second baseman.
The Yankees currently don’t see the San Diego Padres infielder “as a fit,” according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
The Yankees previously reached out to both the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Padres about potential trades for Arráez and Lux, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
The Dodgers instead traded Arráez to the Cincinnati Reds, Passan reported on Monday.
The Yankees are seeking a replacement for Gleyber Torres, who left the club after three seasons as the team’s primary second baseman in order to sign with the Detroit Tigers in free agency.
That made the Yankees a potential fit for Arráez, who could be on the trade block this winter. The San Diego Union-Tribune‘s Kevin Acee reported in December that the Padres had discussed trading Arráez in order to free up payroll.
Arráez is expected to earn around $13.7 million in his final season of arbitration before hitting free agency in 2026, per Spotrac.
After leading the NL with both a .314 batting average average and a career-high 200 hits during a 2024 campaign split between the Miami Marlins and Padres, Arráez could potentially add offense to the Yankees’ batting lineup following the departure of Juan Soto.
Arráez is also a left-handed hitter, making him a theoretical match for Yankee Stadium. He hit 28 home runs last year, but would have recorded 38 in the Bronx, according to Baseball Savant.
The issue with Arráez’s fit might stem instead from his work on defense. He recorded a .969 fielding percentage in 2024 while leading MLB in errors for a second straight season.
As Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported in November, Dodgers coaches and scouts told players ahead of the World Series the Yankees valued “talent over fundamentals” on the field.
If the Brian Cashman wanted to address that criticism this offseason, he could decide to prioritize finding reliable defense over offensive standouts.
