Luis Arraez’s Three-Word Answer Should Boost Top of Giants Lineup

New San Francisco Giants second baseman Luis Arráez is already at spring training and ready to give the offense a boost.

San Diego Padres designated hitter Luis Arraez. | David Frerker-Imagn Images

The San Francisco Giants waited until the start of spring training to officially announce the signing of Luis Arráez, who signed a one-year deal worth $12 million.

After claiming No. 1 — which works well as a second baseman who will play alongside shortstop Willy Adames, who wears No. 2 — he spoke with reporters on the day pitchers and catchers had their first workouts. So, he’s well ahead of schedule.

He told reporters that he turned down a multi-year offer from at least one team to join the Giants, as he believes in the roster they’ve put together as they pursue the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West.

He also had a three-word answer indicative of what San Francisco hopes to get from him this season.

“I hate strikeouts,” he said as reported by Giants beat writers, including The San Francisco Chronicle’s Shayna Rubin.

Luis Arráez’s Old School Style Suits Giants

San Diego Padres second baseman Luis Arraez. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The modern game is built around slugging and OPS, the latter of which is a combination of on-base percentage and slugging. The higher the OPS, the higher the player’s value in the eyes of baseball’s analytics squad.

Arráez dominates in ways that appeal to old-school baseball people — batting average and on-base percentage. While his lifetime OPS is .777 — .800 is considered above average — he is the best hitter in the majors by average at .317. He won three batting titles in a row from 2022-24, including the last season in which he split the campaign between the Miami Marlins and the San Diego Padres. He’s also led the National League in hits each of the past two seasons.

He also has a lifetime on-base percentage of .363, with .320 considered average. He just happens to be coming off his worst season in OBP with .327. His .292 batting average was also a career low for a single season. Entering his age 29 season, that step back is unlikely to be a trend. He’s batted .300 or better in six of his nine MLB seasons.

He only averages seven home runs per 162 games, so he doesn’t come with much in the power department. But the Giants need his contact and his OBP more than it needs extra slug. San Francisco needs someone that can get on base and set the table for its stable of sluggers, including Adames, Rafael Devers and Matt Chapman, all of which will likely hit behind him. San Francisco can also lean into Bryce Eldridge, Heliot Ramos and Harrison Bader, the last of which signed with the Giants in January.