NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The San Diego Padres have had discussions with teams regarding leadoff hitter Luis Arraez and the Philadelphia Phillies should be the one team listening. Yes, having Kyle Schwarber has been a blessing in that spot with his power but having a true contact hitter would do wonders for the offense.
Last season, mostly with the Padres, Arraez batted .318 with 41 RBIs, 159 Hits, and 61 Runs in just 117 games. This is the type of production the Phillies need in that sport. While Schwarber hit 38 home runs, he still struggled for a portion of the season. Another thing to consider with him at the top of the lineup is that Arraez stuck out just 18 times in 524 plate appearances compared to 197 by Schwarber in 692 PAs.
If the ball is not going out the park, Schwarber tends to be a bit of a liability. With 106 walks last season, Kyle totaled just 5 Stolen Bases. However, we can still look at his runs. He tacked on 110 runs scored.
What has helped Schwarber is that he batted lead-off in front of Trae Turner and Bryce Harper. But imagine what this lineup could do with Arraez followed by Turner, Harper, and then Schwarber. To get the full potential from the Phillies lineup, Kyle must be moved down the order.
The Philadelphia Phillies, like most clubs, need players who can get on base, especially at the lead-off position. Having a player who can go yard in the first inning is a great option to have but it comes with a cost as his bat could be used down in the order when the second half of the lineup struggles to get on base for him.
This is not a knock on the ability of Schwarber as a baseball player, this is some of the growing concerns that’s being discussed with him as a leadoff hitter. Despite the success he has had since joining the Phillies and filling that role, Schwarber will still be better suited dropping own in the order with his power at the plate. Batting second is not out of the equation either.
That poses a difficult decision for any opposing pitcher. Having Arrezr hitting leadoff and possibly getting on base creates more opportunities for Schwarber to drive in runs. Also, it puts pressure on pitchers where mistakes are prone to happen as they have to look at Schwarber then glance over and see Turner waiting to hit next. You can’t walk Kyle with Turner and Harper due up either.
There are drawbacks here of course. Luis is not the best at fielding. He’s at the top of the league in errors at 2B, which has been a concern of the Phillies infield. But his offensive production can’t be overlooked. Do the Phillies have enough to offset what he does on the defensive side? This is one of the reasons why the New York Yankees may have pulled out of the race for Arraez.
The Padres are looking to shed some salary with Arraez set to earn $14M in 2025. If money is the culprit, the Padres will be willing to let him go for cheap. All it may cost the Philadelphia Phillies are some minor-league players. The Phils can handle that type of deal. And at the age of 28, Arraez fits right into the current mold of what the Phillies are trying to do with their core.
As with last season, it’s World Series of bust for the team from the City of Brotherly alive. What’s missing is a true leadoff hitter and how many in MBL are better at that than Luis Arraez?
