The Arraez Rumor That Will Not Die

Okay, so this isn’t exactly breaking news—Bleeding Yankee Blue already beat everyone to it (read THIS LUIS ARRAEZ RUMOR CAME OUT OF NO WHERE, HUH? from December 13) —but wow, can you imagine if the Yankees pulled this off? Luis Arraez in pinstripes? Could be interesting.

With the Yankees still on the hunt for one more infielder to round out their 2025 roster, Grant Young of Sports Illustrated recently tossed out an already intriguing idea: Arraez as a trade target for the Bronx Bombers.

“The most obvious reason why Arraez heading to the Bronx seems to make sense is because the Yankees lost Juan Soto this offseason, and the 27-year-old Arraez could help replace what New York will lose with Soto’s absence,” Young wrote. “That is not to say Arraez is as good as Soto, or that he will fill the void Soto is leaving behind. But because he’s a left-handed hitter who thrives on making contact, he would fit well hitting in front of 2024 AL MVP Aaron Judge in the lineup’s No. 2 hole, where Soto was last year.”

Sounds pretty dreamy, right? A lefty contact hitter to balance out the lineup and set the table for Judge? Yes, Arraez doesn’t have the pop Soto brings, but let’s not forget—this guy won the batting title and is practically allergic to striking out. That kind of consistency is something the Yankees desperately need.

But here’s the rub: Arraez is not exactly a defensive wizard. In fact, he’s a bit of a liability at second base. So, if the Yankees trade for him, it might feel like they’re swapping one mediocre defender (Gleyber Torres) for another. The difference? Arraez is an offensive upgrade. The man can rake, plain and simple. But does that make up for his shortcomings with the glove?

And speaking of Torres, what happens to him if this deal goes down? The rumor mill is working overtime, and there are three teams reportedly interested in Gleyber’s services: the Toronto Blue Jays, the Los Angeles Angels, and the Miami Marlins. Could Torres end up in the AL East tormenting the Yankees as a Blue Jay? Or head west to join Mike Trout? Or maybe the Marlins grab him.

It’s a fascinating chess game, and the Yankees are at the center of it just CRUSHING the offseason. Will they pull the trigger on a deal for Arraez? Will Torres stay or go? So many questions, so much speculation—and honestly, isn’t that what makes the offseason so much fun?

Stay tuned, Yankees fans, I am loving this offseason! I’m alive again.