The San Diego Padres’ season came to an end with their Game 5 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series, likely signaling the conclusion of several players’ tenures with the team. A number of Padres players are set to become free agents, and it’s improbable that the organization will bring back all of them. Donovan Solano, Jurickson Profar, Ha-Seong Kim, Kyle Higashioka, and Tanner Scott are among those without contracts for next year.
While many within the team hope to keep the 2024 roster largely intact, they acknowledge that it may not be realistic. “I want as many back as possible,” rookie outfielder Jackson Merrill said. “I understand it’s a business, and we don’t get too many guys back.”
Jackson Merrill was asked about his desire to run it back with this group next year and his message to the fans back home in San Diego: pic.twitter.com/BrgDXan1G3
— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) October 12, 2024
Luis Arraez, who is under team control for 2025, remains uncertain about his future with the Padres. Despite his desire to stay, the possibility of a trade looms, as he has already been dealt twice in the last two years. “I don’t want to think about a trade,” Arraez stated. “I just want to play for the San Diego Padres next year. … I understand the business, but I want to stay here for a long time.”
Luis Arraez on staying with the #Padres: "I don't want to think about a trade. I just want to play for the San Diego Padres next year. … I want to stay here. But everybody knows this is business. I understand the business, but I want to stay here for a long time."
— Annie Heilbrunn (@annieheilbrunn) October 12, 2024
Arraez joined the Padres in a trade with the Miami Marlins in early May 2024 and became an essential part of the lineup, helping the team lead MLB in hits and batting average during the regular season. He finished the year with a .314/.346/.392 slash line, 200 hits, 83 runs, four home runs, and 46 RBIs. In the postseason, he hit .226 with seven hits and four runs across seven games. Arraez also led the National League in batting average, earning his third consecutive batting title and All-Star appearance.
Before his stint with the Padres, Arraez began his MLB career with the Minnesota Twins, who traded him to the Marlins in 2023.
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