At the All-Star Game in Philadelphia, Luis Arraez made one thing clear: if he is traded before the Aug. 3 trade deadline, he wants to stay at second base.
“It’s going to be second base,” Arraez said, adding that he does not want to go back to first base and has prepared his mind and body only to play second base. It is a notable stance for a player whose value has changed as his defensive role has changed.
Arraez has remade himself into a Gold Glove-caliber second baseman under Ron Washington, and that has helped make him more than just a contact hitter. In 2025, he played for the Giants and hit.330, while the team won three of four against Colorado to finish the symbolic first half.
That production has stood out on a Giants team that entered the break at 41-55 and looked likely to be a seller at the deadline. Arraez has been the lone bright spot for San Francisco, and his comments add another layer to his trade value: any team considering him has to see him as a second baseman, not a first baseman.
Why it matters
Arraez was traded from Miami to San Diego in 2024, and his situation may be changing again. He is once again testing the free agent market this winter, so where he plays now could affect where he lands next. If a contender acquires him before Aug. 3, it will be doing so with a clear understanding of his preferred role.
That matters because Arraez’s appeal is tied to how complete his game has become. He is a three-time batting champion, but his defensive value at second base has also become part of the conversation. In a trade market, that combination gives him a different kind of profile than a pure bat-only option.
Arraez said it is hard to leave when teammates feel like family, and he mentioned Willy Adames, Raffy Devers, Heliot Ramos and Logan Webb as part of that bond. Even so, he also acknowledged the business side of the sport. For now, he says he wants to stay focused and not think about a trade. If one comes, though, his position demand is already on the record.
