Why Giants are content sacrificing defense with Luis Arráez contract agreement

SAN FRANCISCO — When it comes to old school versus new, there isn’t a more polarizing player in today’s game than Luis Arráez. The veteran infielder is a three-time batting champion who hit .292 last year in what was considered a down year for the San Diego Padres. By some traditional measures — All-Star appearances, Silver Sluggers, hits — his career has at times been on a path to Cooperstown. While picking up all those hits, including a league-leading total last year, he virtually never strikes out.Arráez also rates as a poor defender by all modern analytics and the eye test. He might bat .300 just about every year, but by wRC+, he was roughly a league-average hitter last season. He ranked in the first percentile last year in hard-hit percentage and bat speed. His sprint speed puts him in the bottom quarter of the league.What do you see when you watch Arráez play? That might vary greatly depending on how you view the game. But it’s clear what the Giants see. Arráez is their new second baseman, and while it’s an imperfect fit in a lot of ways, it also is one that makes a lot of sense given how Buster Posey has rebuilt the organization over the past year.In just about every trade, and with many of their draft picks, the Giants have chased contact skills. They pulled a hitting coach from a Toronto Blue Jays team that led the big leagues in average last year and was second-to-last in strikeouts. They are, to put it mildly, tired of watching the strikeouts pile up, and with this latest move, they won’t have to worry about it at second base. Arráez struck out 21 times in 675 plate appearances last year. He also drew just 34 walks and showed little power, which is why he was available for &dollar;12 million on a one-year contract. The Giants know exactly what they’re getting, although even with the one-trick profile, there have been extremes. Arráez is two years removed from a wRC+ of 131, which followed a season of 130. If the 28-year-old regains that form at spacious Oracle Park, the Giants will have one of the most dangerous infields in baseball, with Arráez joining Rafael Devers, Willy Adames, Matt Chapman and Bryce Eldridge.Of course, they might also have the worst right-side defense in baseball on Opening Day. Arráez made just 10 starts at second base last year and has been worth negative-20 Outs Above Average at the position over the past three seasons. He probably should be a first baseman or DH in 2026, but the Giants won’t have that option. In that respect, this is risky. Posey believes Devers can turn into a Gold Glove-caliber defender at first and Eldridge worked hard on his defense over the offseason, but for a team filled with groundball pitchers, that is an awful lot of hope. There are, though, ways to limit the exposure. The Giants have chased second base upgrades all offseason even though Casey Schmitt seemed deserving of a real shot, and their goal has been to turn Schmitt into a super-utility player. It’s possible the young infielder now ends up in a trade, especially because there’s depth in Christian Koss and Tyler Fitzgerald, but if Schmitt is on the initial roster, he’ll back up second, short and third and offer a right-handed option at first base from time to time. Either he or Koss figures to enter for Arráez late in games.This would be an interesting way for any team to build in 2026. For the Giants, it’s downright fascinating. The team that always talks about winning with pitching and defense is chasing batting average at second base, a crucial position when Logan Webb and others are on the mound. The lineup now appears to be strong enough to compete for a playoff spot. But the clear weakness of the roster is the bullpen, and the rotation isn’t that far behind. The Giants tried to reload another way, making multiple offers for St. Louis’ Brendan Donovan and chasing Nico Hoerner, CJ Abrams and others. All would have been better defenders and offered more all-around offensive upside, but the front office grew frustrated with the nature of trade talks, believing that opposing executives pulled back at times when a deal was approaching the one-yard line.On Friday, after signing Harrison Bader — a glove-first player — Posey said he still had some balls in the air and was hopeful he could add before pitchers and catchers report. His lineup now appears set, and most of the bench pieces are in place. The pitching staff needs help, but the Giants got their new center fielder and second baseman without dealing prospects, so they’re still equipped to try and swing a deal for a pitcher if they find the right fit. If this is it, it will go down as a modest offseason class, but maybe one that shouldn’t be all that unexpected.Posey won titles with pitching and defense, but he also spent most of his career playing with good infielders. He was instrumental in helping the club reach an extension with Chapman and has signed or traded for new starters at first, second and short over the past 14 months. There were a lot of different ways the Giants could have gone over that time. They have chosen to line up behind their infielders, and while Arráez’s defense will be an issue that new manager Tony Vitello has to work around, the Giants are betting on his bat, or more specifically, his batting average.Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

Why Giants are content sacrificing defense with Luis Arráez contract agreement

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