The San Francisco Giants may like Luis Arraez plenty, but that doesn’t appear to be stopping the obvious next step.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today says the Giants are expected to move Arraez ahead of the MLB trade deadline on August 3, even though he’s been a clubhouse favorite since signing in the offseason. Nightengale put it bluntly: "Prediction: The Giants absolutely love Arraez, who has become a clubhouse favorite, but have no plans to keep him," Nightengale writes. "They will thank him for his services, trade him, and wish him well in free agency, knowing they certainly helped increase his value."
That lines up with where the Giants are as a team. They’re viewed as one of the clearer sellers at the 2026 deadline, and with the roster Buster Posey built underwhelming and the Tony Vitello experience not going well, holding onto a player like Arraez doesn’t make much sense.
Arraez has done his part. The infielder signed a one-year, $12 million deal, and he’s delivered one of the stronger seasons of his career with a .331 batting average, four home runs, 2.8 bWAR and an .836 OPS. That kind of production should draw real interest from contenders looking for infield help.
The bigger issue for San Francisco is simple: unless Arraez signs an extension before the deadline, there’s real risk in keeping him and losing him for nothing in free agency. A trade now would let the Giants cash in on his value instead of watching him walk away after the season.
For now, the expectation is clear. The Giants may appreciate Arraez, but they’re not expected to keep him beyond August 3.
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