In a different era, it wouldn’t make sense that the 60-win Chicago White Sox could sign a three-time batting champion to a relatively affordable contract in free agency.
But this is 2025, and that’s possible now.
The player: Luis Arraez.
The Athletic’s Andy McCullough has linked the White Sox to Arraez in a new article suggesting one free agent signing for every team.
Arraez is a free agent from the Padres but not expected to return there.
“I couldn’t find a perfect fit for Arraez, because it’s hard to find a fit for such a player,” McCullough writes. “Everyone knows the things he doesn’t do particularly well — run the bases, play the field, hit for power — and everyone knows the thing he does as well as anyone in baseball: hit singles. Since he debuted in 2019, Arraez has collected 805 singles, 71 more than the next most prolific singles hitter, Trea Turner. As the White Sox continue their rebuilding effort, it wouldn’t hurt to have a guy like Arraez, especially if his bat catches fire and he can be dealt for prospects in July.”
That last point is a key one. Teams like the White Sox don’t mind signing veteran players in part because they can just be traded later if the season isn’t going well.
Arraez is also just an entertaining player to watch in modern baseball. He makes contact in a way that no one else does. He feels like a throwback to a bygone era.
Maybe that doesn’t actually lead to a lot more wins for Chicago. But a guy like Arraez could make them a lot more watchable for the White Sox fanbase who wants to see their team start to turn things around.
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