MLB free agency is winding down after Cody Bellinger and Bo Bichette found big-money homes. But there are still valuable assets on the market available for a low price. Luis Arraez is available in free agency, and the three-time batting champ should be courted by the Colorado Rockies, Cincinnati Reds, and more.
Any team looking to sign Arraez should have its designated hitter slot open for most games. That eliminates teams like the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies, who have permanent designated hitters making a lot of money. Plus, Arraez does not bring much to the table besides his contact tool. This should be a short, inexpensive contract for a small-market team.
Best Luis Arraez fit: Colorado Rockies
The Rockies just finished one of the worst seasons in MLB history with a 43-119 record. They made some mid-season trades to bring in prospects, but that has left their Opening Day roster looking bleak. Arraez can come in on a one-year deal and get his batting average up into the .300s once again because of the altitude, making him a mid-season trade candidate.
The altitude at Coors Field does not just help home run hitters, but can help contact hitters like Arraez as well. Balls that would usually fall into an outfielder's glove hit the wall, infield bloops turn into bloop singles, and the homers won't hurt either. His .292 batting average in 2025 was the worst of his career, so he should take any chance to get that back up.
The Rockies are not going to spend a lot of money in free agency, especially with Kris Bryant's deal still on the books. But Arraez should be inexpensive, so this deal makes sense.
#2: Cincinnati Reds
The Reds have a great young core of hitters, led by Elly De La Cruz. They made an offer to Kyle Schwarber, showing that they are willing to sign a permanent DH in free agency. And they also play in a hitter-friendly park, ranking third in Baseball Savant's Park Factor.
Getting runners on base for De La Cruz to knock in should be a key for the Reds this offseason. While Arraez is not a great baserunner, he can cause traffic on the bases for Cincinnati's best offensive players. They are another team more interested in cheap deals and could use some starting pitching depth before free agency closes up.
#3: Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates just gave out the first multi-year free-agent contract in nine years, inking Ryan O'Hearn to a two-year deal. They should follow that up with another short-term contract for a proven veteran hitter. With a great pitching staff to support, they need offense to pick up wins in 2026. O'Hearn was the safe bet to sign first, but at this point, Arraez should be joining the team as well.
This is the kind of move that the Pirates have been making for years. Sign a veteran like Arraez to a one-year deal and hope he reaches his ceiling. PNC Park would not be as kind to Arraez as the previous two home stadiums, but his contact tool could help their young prospects get more chances with runners in scoring position.
#4: A return ot the Miami Marlins
Arraez won the 2023 batting title with the Miami Marlins, hitting .354, his career-high. During the 2024 season, Miami traded him to the San Diego Padres, where he finished off his third consecutive batting title. In all, Arraez hit .343 with an .834 OPS in 180 games as a Marlin. It was a good relationship until the trade, and it could be rekindled this offseason.
The Marlins have made painstaking efforts to cut salary this year. As it stands, they would spend less on their roster this year than the Dodgers will spend on Kyle Tucker when you include the luxury tax penalty. The Marlins would be wise to spend a little bit of money to bring the batting champ back. He would be great for their locker room and to add a different threat to the lineup.
