The Miami Marlins traded second baseman Luis Arraez to the San Diego Padres in alternate for outfield prospects Dillon Head and Jakob Marsee, 1B/OF prospect Nathan Martorella, and minor-league reliever Woo-suk Go, the crew introduced Saturday. The Marlins will also reportedly pick up almost all of Arraez’s remaining salary. He was slated to make $10.6 million general this 12 months.
Arraez, 27, has received two straight batting titles, one with the Twins in the American League in 2022 after which a second with the Marlins in the National League final season. In 2024, Arraez is slashing .299/.347/.372 in 33 video games for Miami. For his profession, Arraez has batted .324/.377/.423 (122 OPS+) with 24 dwelling runs throughout components of six major-league seasons. While Arraez lacks energy, he is probably the greatest contact hitters of his era, and his offense grades out fairly properly by the requirements of center infielders. He’s a two-time All-Star and is greater than only a rental for the Padres, as Arraez is not slated without cost company till after the 2025 season.
It’s not sure what position Arraez will fill in San Diego, apart from enhancing the lineup. Xander Bogaerts, who’s in the second 12 months of a $280 million free-agent contract, is the first second baseman. It’s laborious to think about that Bogaerts will likely be resigned to restricted obligation despite the fact that he is struggled on the plate up to now in 2024. Given that Manny Machado has been the Pads’ main DH this season, Arraez may even see time at third base or maybe slot in at DH and bump Machado again to his ordinary place. If nothing else, his presence offers first-year supervisor Mike Shildt some flexibility in the infield.
On the Marlins’ aspect of issues, Head might be the important thing piece of the deal. The No. 25 general pick of an Illinois junior school final 12 months, the 19-year-old Head has a .726 OPS in 48 video games as a professional unfold throughout two seasons. He’s been in the California League this season and has spent most of his time in middle area. Here’s what CBS Sports wrote about head on the time he was drafted:
“Head might be the fastest player in the draft, having posted a better 60-yard dash time than Enrique Bradfield Jr. did at the same stage in his development. He leverages that speed, plus his above-average arm strength, into high-quality center-field defense. While evaluators can feel confident in that aspect of his game, he offers a wider range of potential offensive outcomes. Head has good bat speed and he’s added strength, but he hasn’t faced top-flight competition in Illinois and he often loads beyond his back foot. Head, who hails from the same high school as White Sox announcer Jason Benetti, has a commitment to play at Clemson.”
Marsee, 22, is a former sixth-rounder out of Central Michigan. Across components of three seasons in the Padres’ system, he is slashed .258/.406/.413 with 73 steals and 20 homers 182 video games and as many walks as strikeouts. Marsee is presently taking part in in the Double-A Texas League. Martorella, 23, was a 2022 fifth-rounder out of Cal. In 791 minor-league plate appearances, he is put up an .820 OPS with 24 dwelling runs and 44 doubles. He’s additionally been at Double-A San Antonio this season. Finally, Go was inked out of Korea this previous offseason. The 25-year-old right-hander has made 10 aid appearances for San Antonio with an ERA of 5.11 and 15 strikeouts in opposition to 4 walks in 12 1/3 innings.
Early May is kind of quickly for a serious commerce equivalent to this, notably contemplating the Marlins made the playoffs final 12 months. However, Miami’s terrible begin to the season — they enter the weekend with a file of 9-24 and a 13-game deficit in the NL East — prompted new-ish Marlins president of baseball operations Peter Bendix to start what figures to be a deep sell-off between now and the commerce deadline.