Padres Predicted to Lose Star Free Agent to White Sox

Sep 22, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres first baseman Luis Arraez (4) hits an RBI single during the seventh inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Free agent Luis Arraez is still without a club heading into December, and The Athletic's Andy McCullough predicted he would land with the Chicago White Sox before the end of the offseason.

"I couldn’t find a perfect fit for Arraez, because it’s hard to find a fit for such a player," McCullough wrote. "Everyone knows the things he doesn’t do particularly well — run the bases, play the field, hit for power — and everyone knows the thing he does as well as anyone in baseball: hit singles. Since he debuted in 2019, Arraez has collected 805 singles, 71 more than the next most prolific singles hitter, Trea Turner. As the White Sox continue their rebuilding effort, it wouldn’t hurt to have a guy like Arraez, especially if his bat catches fire and he can be dealt for prospects in July."

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Before joining San Diego, Arraez led MLB with a .354 batting average in 2024 and won the AL batting title in 2023 with the Minnesota Twins.

Arraez came to the Padres via trade midway through the 2024 season and instantly made an impact in San Diego. He won his third consecutive batting title in 2024, posting a .314 batting average, and batted above league average for the sixth season in a row.

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2025 didn't go as well for Arraez, as he recorded his first season with an OPS+ below league average. His flaws showed in San Diego last season, and while he led the NL in hits, he failed to make much of a meaningful difference with his elite contact.

The White Sox need a ton of help to dislodge themselves from the bottom of the AL Central next season, and Arraez could be a perfect fit. They're set as far as second basemen go following Chase Meidroth's solid rookie season, so he would either take over as their first baseman or — perhaps more favorably — their designated hitter.

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Spotrac values Arraez at an annual salary of $14.1 million, and the White Sox could even bring him in for cheaper should his market not materialize before the end of the offseason.

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