Major League Baseball's San Francisco Giants have signed Luis Arraez, a three-time batting champion.
MLB.com reported on the 1st (Korean time) that "San Francisco has agreed to a one-year, $12 million contract with Arraez," adding that "San Francisco searched for several players throughout the offseason to strengthen second base. They finally acquired the player they wanted."
Arraez recorded a .317 batting average over seven seasons with Minnesota, Miami and San Diego and currently ranks first among active players in batting average. He won the batting title three times in 2022, 2023 and 2024, and led the National League in hits in 2024 and 2025. He is expected to lead the San Francisco lineup alongside Lee Jung-hoo.
According to MLB.com, San Francisco ranked tied for 26th in second-base OPS at .617 in the 2025 season. The outlet said, "The addition of Arraez is expected to help strengthen a lineup that already features three talented infielders: third baseman Matt Chapman, shortstop Willy Adames and first baseman Rafael Devers."
Left-handed Arraez played 154 games for San Diego last season, hitting .292 with a .719 OPS and eight home runs, and recorded the lowest strikeout rate (3.1%) among qualified hitters in Major League Baseball. However, he finished with a career-low 99 OPS+, slightly below the league average.
Although Arraez primarily played first base in San Diego, San Francisco plans to move him back to second base.
Arraez is the second veteran position player San Francisco has signed in the offseason. The team recently finalized a two-year, $20.5 million deal with center fielder Harrison Bader. San Francisco also bolstered its pitching staff by signing veteran starting pitchers Adrian Houser (two years, $22 million) and Tyler Mahle (one year, $10 million), and relief pitchers Sam Hentges (one year, $1.4 million) and Jason Foley (one year, $2 million).
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