PHOENIX — So, how do you like him now?
Luis Arraez, a three-time batting champion and finest contact hitter in the game, could not find a job last winter.
He was viewed as a one-dimensional player who could hit singles, and never struck out, but didn’t excel at any other area of the game.
So he sat home with his .317 career batting average and elite bat-to-ball skills and waited all winter for someone to give him a chance to return to his natural position as an everyday second baseman.
Five teams expressed interest in him.
Only one team called to offer him a job to play second base.
The San Francisco Giants, after failing in trade attempts to acquire Brendan Donovan of the St. Louis Cardinals, Nico Hoerner of the Chicago Cubs and CJ Abrams of the Washington Nationals, signed Arraez to a one-year, $12 million on the eve of spring training.
They were mocked by their peers, believing it was a reckless decision to try to turn one of the worst defensive players into even a passable defensive player, and that he’d relegated to the DH role by the end of April.
Well, in a season that has gone horribly wrong, with the Giants producing the third-worst record (36-50) in the National League, there is Arraez.
He is reestablishing himself the modern-day of Rod Carew and Tony Gwynn – hitting .326 with only 13 strikeouts in 358 plate appearances, an MLB-low 3.6% strikeout rate, with 105 hits and a career high seven triples. He has become one of the better defensive second basemen in the game.
Really.
You can watch him with your eyes, back it up on the computer with analytics, and the story is the same.
Arraez ranks second in MLB among second baseman with 11 outs above average, trailing only rookie JJ Wetherholt of the St. Louis Cardinals. He is fourth in all of MLB among all position players with his defensive rating.
“I don’t think anyone thought I could do this but me," Arraez, 28, tells USA TODAY Sports. “I proved them wrong.
“I worked my (expletive) off to have this season.
“And I think it’s the best all-around season I’ve ever had."
Arraez, who signed as a 16-year-old second baseman out of Venezuela, had not been an everyday second baseman since 2023 with the Miami Marlins. He played only 17 of 154 games at second base last season with the San Diego Padres, and graded negative 7-outs below average as their primary first baseman.
He decided to go to work during the winter for a dramatic defensive facelift.
He spent hours training every day with former Cincinnati Reds infielder Rainer Olmedo in Miami and veteran infielder Luis Rengifo in Miami. When spring training started, informed Giants infield guru coach Ron Washington that he’ll be his prized pupil and work as long and hard as it takes to be that elite second baseman.
Washington, 74, is legendary for turning ordinary defensive infielders into Gold Glove winners. Third baseman Eric Chavez became a six-time Gold Glove winner. Shortstop Marcus Semien, who made a league-leading 35 errors his first season, became a two-time Gold Glove winner. Third baseman Matt Chapman won five Gold Gloves. Shortstop Dansby Swanson won two Gold Gloves.
Michael Young became a Gold Glove winner. Miguel Tejada and Jason Giambi won MVPs. Bobby Crosby won the AL Rookie of the Year. Mark Ellis had the highest fielding percentage among second basemen. Third baseman Austin Riley, second baseman Ozzie Albies and shortstop Elvis Andrus became All-Stars. And third baseman Adrian Beltre became a Hall of Famer.
And every single one of the players credits Washington for their defensive prowess, with Chavez even giving Washington his third Gold Glove award.
That group, Washington confides, probably all had more raw talent than Arraez, but when it comes to work ethic, when it comes to desire, Arraez take a back seat to anyone.
“The good thing about Luis is that he held true to what he told me he was going to do in spring training,’’ Washington says. “And that was coming to work to try to be a better second baseman, but more than anything, he wanted to be a better teammate. Everything he said he’d do, he’s done.
“The way he’s elevated the game, the way he has started understanding how to play the game, the way he’s fighting fatigue, the way he’s fighting anything that’s negative, and going out and doing it, he’s elevated his game as much as anyone I’ve had."
While Washington and the Giants are receiving the bulk of the credit for Arraez’s success, the real reason for his dramatic turnaround is Arraez, himself, Washington says. He’s the one who put in the work. He’s the one who dedicated himself to being the best. And he’s the one who deserves all of the accolades.
“I believe that if he would have been given the love and opportunity that the Giants have given to him when he was in other places,’’ Washington says, “I think they would see the same thing. He’s got skill set, you know what I mean. The key was to making him use that on a daily basis and making him believe, and that’s what he’s gotten here in San Francisco.
“He’s gotten love and he’s gotten an opportunity to realize his dream, showing the world that he’s always had that skill set to play defense.
“We just gave him that chance."
Luis Arraez trade rumors?
Arraez, a three-time All-Star who would love to make his fourth trip, says he’ll forever be indebted to the Giants for the opportunity. He’s certainly paid them back with his performance, and would love for it to be a long-term commitment.
The reality is that the trade deadline is a month away. The Giants are going nowhere in the standings. They have an abundance of young infielders who need playing time. And surely Arraez will be wearing a different uniform on Aug. 4 after the deadline.
“If they give me an opportunity, I’d love to stay," Arraez said. “I really enjoy it here. But it’s a business. I’m not paying any attention to any of the trade stuff. I just want to continue to work hard and focus on my job. Really, that’s all I can do."
Giants rookie manager Tony Vitello, trying to retain his sanity enduring the myriad of problems he has encountered since becoming the first manager to transition straight from college at Tennessee to the big leagues, has found tranquility in Arraez’s performance. Arraez plays every day. He performs. And he epitomizes professionalism.
“He’s phenomenal,” Vitello says. “Speaking of determination, he’s always got it. I don’t think there’s anybody out there that you could accuse of lack of overall focus or effort, but if we could match his energy and his determination as a group, we’d be in a pretty good spot.
“He’s just a pro. He can do a lot of different things for you. It’s not just about batting average or bat-to-ball skills. I’m not sure anyone is playing better at second base."
All-Star Game a possibility for Arraez
Yet, Arraez finished only fifth among all NL second basemen in the All-Star balloting with Atlanta’s Ozzie Albies and Philadelphia’s Bryson Stott finalists for the starting job. He now awaits Saturday’s announcement to determine whether he’s selected as a reserve by his peers, managers and coaches.
“I don’t think I’ll make it," Arraez said, “but we’ll see. I know what I’ve done, and I’m proud of that. That means the most to me, helping my team.’’
In a month, he’ll likely be helping another team’s quest for a playoff run, and then it’s off to free agency where his value certainly has risen from a year ago.
“I think he’s proven that it will be different for him this time around," Washington says. “You already know what he can do at the plate, but now with the way he’s playing defense, with his decision-making going up a different level, there will be a lot of interest in him.
“He wants to be great, and he’s just a class act. He would never embarrass you or the organization. Anyone would be lucky to have him."
And the team who signs him to his next deal, well, Arraez has one little request.
“I gotta take Washington with me," Arraez says, “wherever I go. That should be part of the deal."
Who could argue with that?
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Giants' hit wizard Luis Arráez 'worked my (expletive) off to have this season'
