Should the Marlins entertain a reunion with Luis Arraez?

[Kevin Barral]

It's a thought that has crossed my mind and the minds of many Miami Marlins fans, it seems: What if the Marlins tried bringing back Luis Arraez this offseason?

Arraez's 2023 season will go down as one of the best offensive seasons in franchise history. As Miami's starting second baseman, he set the franchise single-season record for batting average (.354) and cruised to the National League batting title. He was the biggest contributor to their postseason berth that year.

During the following spring training, Arraez expressed a desire to remain with the Marlins long term, but his wish was not granted. Just over a month into the 2024 season, new president of baseball operations Peter Bendix shipped off the fan favorite to the San Diego Padres in exchange for prospects Dillon Head, Jakob Marsee, Nathan Martorella and Woo-Suk Go. It was one of the toughest days in what turned out to be an 100-loss season.

In hindsight, Bendix made a smart decision. In 55 major league games, Marsee has produced just as much fWAR (2.2) as Arraez did during his 271 games with the Padres (2.0). Marsee is expected to be the Marlins' everyday center fielder in 2026. Head, a former first-round draft pick, is still one of the organization's top outfield prospects. Indirectly, Arraez's departure opened up more playing time for Otto Lopez, who has since established himself as the club's starting shortstop.

Meanwhile, Arraez will enter free agency next week and he's projected to cost far less now than if the Marlins had extended him coming off his career year.

Although Arraez won the 2024 NL batting title, there was a 40-point dip from the previous season and even bigger differences in his on-base percentage and slugging percentage. He provided even less offensive value in 2025, slashing .292/.327/.392/.719 with eight home runs, 61 RBI and a 104 wRC+.

Defensively, Arraez has made the move over to first base, playing 117 games there this season compared to only 14 at second base. He had three defensive runs saved at his new position with a career-high .999 fielding percentage, but also minus-seven outs above average.

With that being said, this version of Arraez still likely makes the Marlins better in the short term. Eric Wagaman, who was the team's primary first baseman this season, slashed .250/.297/.378/.674 with nine home runs, 53 RBI and an 85 wRC+. Troy Johnston emerged late in the season, slashing .277/.331/.420/.750 with four home runs, 13 RBI and a 109 wRC+, but he only played against right-handed pitching. Prospect Deyvison De Los Santos struggled in his first full season with the organization, posting an 85 wRC+ at the Triple-A level and only hitting 12 home runs after a 40-homer year in 2024.

It's a question of how Arraez compares to some of the other veteran first basemen available in free agency or potentially via trade.

The 28-year-old continues to be the very best in MLB at putting balls in play, only striking out 3.1% of the time in 2025. He finished second to Bobby Witt Jr. with 181 total hits. Part of that is durability—Arraez has averaged 149 games played over the last four seasons and just set a new career-high with 154.

Something else to consider: In 2025, the Marlins ranked 27th in home runs, obviously showing the need for a power bat. Signing a spray hitter like Arraez to play first base would put the pressure on young players at other positions to step up in that area. Someone like Griffin Conine could help if he’s able to stay healthy through the course of a full season. Coming up through the minor leagues, the organization also has Kemp Alderman and Joe Mack, who were the top two home run hitters amongst Marlins prospects in 2025 and are likely to debut next season.

Defensively, Arraez's flaws could be partially covered up by having good infielders around him. Xavier Edwards is a Gold Glove finalist at second base, while Otto Lopez and Graham Pauley graded out positively at shortstop and third base, respectively.

The ability to make contact with everything made Arraez a fan favorite. His antics at the plate and pure love for the game would help the Marlins on the marketing side of things. The Arraez family resides in Florida during the offseason, so geographically, it's a comfortable fit—maybe it is more than a coincidence that he had his greatest success in a Marlins uniform.

When it comes to Arraez's price range, would he be willing to take a one-year deal with a salary similar to the $14 million that he earned in 2025? From the Marlins' perspective, they will want the option of flipping him for more prospects at the trade deadline if they are in a position to sell and Arraez is having a strong season.

Being younger than most players in the 2025-26 free agent class but having a limited skill set, Arraez is a complicated free agent case.

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[Hippyboi]

Other than a little nostalgia, Arraez makes no sense to me, especially at 14m. His bat is trending down, has less value at 1b than 2b and his fielding is below average. Plus him and Edwards is a pretty powerless top of the order.

Troy Johnston hit lefties as well as righties in the minors and I wish he had at least been given some swings against them last year.

[Jose Herrera]

Potential lineup with him:

2b-Xavier Edwards (left)

1b-Luis Arraez (left)

c-Agustin Ramirez (right)

lf-Kyle Stowers (left)

ss-Otto Lopez (right)

cf-Jakob Marsee (left)

3b-Connor Norby (right)

rf-Griffin Conine (left)

DH-Eric Wagaman (right)

It would be nice to have him back if he enjoyed playing in Miami. We do not have any serious first base prospects and he's already been successful in Miami. He is worth a look. 

I would expect the contract to be around 5 years for 10-12 million per year. This should allow enough time for us to draft or sign an international free agent and develop them. 

The only thing I would do first before pursuing it would be to ask Clayton McCullough's thoughts on adding him. If there is already good clubhouse chemistry and he thinks he won't much value, then call it off.

[Jose Herrera]

On a side note, why don't we teach Griffin Conine to play first and give Heriberto Hernandez a shot as an everyday outfielder? Griffin has never played first, but if we move him that should open up the DH for whoever we need that game.

 

[THOMAS JOSEPH]

If we consider the oft-howled "fan optics" as a Marlins Front Office priority, bringing back an affordable Arraez certainly would be in the plus column. That is, bringing Arraez in on his baseball merits also builds upon the general enthusiasm generated by the 2024 season, combines with the associated uptick in Bendix confidence, and fits in tangibly with the wiggle room in the team's payroll. Lastly, we assume Arraez enjoyed his time in Miami and perhaps would even prefer a return, subject to financial approval. There seems to be a nice little checklist in the affirmative. 

[Hans Herrera]

With both Edwards and Marsee on the starting lineup, there is no need to bring him. The lineup needs firepower. 

[Rob V]

1 hour ago, Hans Herrera said:

With both Edwards and Marsee on the starting lineup, there is no need to bring him. The lineup needs firepower. 

The Blue Jays are kicking the Dodgers butts right now with a team full of firecrackers and a few power options. Replace Wagerman with Fan Favorite Arraez and we get better immediately!

[1993 fan from start]

3 hours ago, Jose Herrera said:

Potential lineup with him:

2b-Xavier Edwards (left)

1b-Luis Arraez (left)

c-Agustin Ramirez (right)

lf-Kyle Stowers (left)

ss-Otto Lopez (right)

cf-Jakob Marsee (left)

3b-Connor Norby (right)

rf-Griffin Conine (left)

DH-Eric Wagaman (right)

It would be nice to have him back if he enjoyed playing in Miami. We do not have any serious first base prospects and he's already been successful in Miami. He is worth a look. 

I would expect the contract to be around 5 years for 10-12 million per year. This should allow enough time for us to draft or sign an international free agent and develop them. 

The only thing I would do first before pursuing it would be to ask Clayton McCullough's thoughts on adding him. If there is already good clubhouse chemistry and he thinks he won't much value, then call it off.

noT board with Agustin Ramirez  hitting second or third . 

[1993 fan from start]

3 hours ago, Jose Herrera said:

On a side note, why don't we teach Griffin Conine to play first and give Heriberto Hernandez a shot as an everyday outfielder? Griffin has never played first, but if we move him that should open up the DH for whoever we need that game.

 

I don't know How it opens up DH  spot.   removing Griffin Conine from LF . But been  saying same thing . SO I Agree.

[1993 fan from start]

I see trade candit  coming most likely.

[One Regend]

We need 3B more than we need Luis Arraez. Ideally, we'd move Agustin to 1B and sign/trade for a 3B. But there isn't a whole lot of 3B choices outside of a washed up Nolan Arenado... and maybe Royce Lewis if the Twins are open to trading him. It does seem like the more likely scenario is signing/trading for 1B and just play out the wheel with Pauley/Norby at 3B again.

That said, for 1B, Luis Arraez wouldn't even be my first choice. Nor would he be my 2nd choice. Nor third. He's on a downward trajectory and it may only get worse from here as he ages. This lineup needs power and we already have Xavier Edwards as our go-to light-hitting contact sprayer. Bringing Arraez would be counter-intuitive.

[Ely Sussman]

10 hours ago, Hippyboi said:

Troy Johnston hit lefties as well as righties in the minors and I wish he had at least been given some swings against them last year.

It's been clear that Bendix has very little belief in Johnston. I actually have a theory that the decision to platoon him so strictly was about doing everything possible to inflate his numbers so he can be traded this offseason for something of value.

Unfortunately not seeing a scenario where Johnston gets a fair shot to prove himself as a regular big leaguer here, even if he's still with the organization next season.

[One Regend]

7 minutes ago, Ely Sussman said:

It's been clear that Bendix has very little belief in Johnston. I actually have a theory that the decision to platoon him so strictly was about doing everything possible to inflate his numbers so he can be traded this offseason for something of value.

Unfortunately not seeing a scenario where Johnston gets a fair shot to prove himself as a regular big leaguer here, even if he's still with the organization next season.

The only way I can see Johnston get a fair shot to prove himself at the major league level is if he gets traded to a rebuilding team that is starved of hitting talent, like the Pirates, or especially the Twins.

[Ely Sussman]

9 hours ago, Jose Herrera said:

I would expect the contract to be around 5 years for 10-12 million per year. This should allow enough time for us to draft or sign an international free agent and develop them. 

He has an extremely weird free agent case. I'm predicting that he'll have to settle for a short-term deal, but all it takes is one team to change the market.

[Ely Sussman]

9 hours ago, Jose Herrera said:

On a side note, why don't we teach Griffin Conine to play first and give Heriberto Hernandez a shot as an everyday outfielder? Griffin has never played first, but if we move him that should open up the DH for whoever we need that game.

 

I respect that Stowers was named a Gold Glove finalist, but I think Conine is an even better defensive outfielder overall. Also, Stowers had a little bit of first base experience in college summer ball. I would look at him as the more logical candidate to switch positions.

[Ely Sussman]

3 hours ago, One Regend said:

We need 3B more than we need Luis Arraez. Ideally, we'd move Agustin to 1B and sign/trade for a 3B. But there isn't a whole lot of 3B choices outside of a washed up Nolan Arenado... and maybe Royce Lewis if the Twins are open to trading him. It does seem like the more likely scenario is signing/trading for 1B and just play out the wheel with Pauley/Norby at 3B again.

I saw somebody make an interesting point about Gleyber Torres and how a lot of his defensive issues at 2B happen on plays when he's moving to his right. At 3B, there are very few of those plays.

It'd be bold to bring in a sizable free agent and move him to a new position based on something like that, but wanted to at least throw it out there.

[Hans Herrera]

#BringBackLewinDíaz