Padres settle with Arraez ($14M) and Cease ($13.75M), per source
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Three-time batting champion Luis Arraez and the Padres settled on a $14 million deal for the 2025 season to avoid arbitration, a source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. The club has not confirmed the deal.
Any clubs and players who did not come to an agreement after the 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT arbitration deadline must then exchange salary figures and schedule a hearing.
Sources also told Feinsand that San Diego agreed to a $13.75 million deal with right-hander Dylan Cease, a $4.8 million deal with righty reliever Jason Adam and a $1 million deal with catcher Luis Campusano. Right-hander Michael King and the Padres did not reach an agreement before Thursday's deadline, though, and will exchange figures.
Lefty reliever Adrian Morejon is also arbitration-eligible.
Arraez, whose three batting titles have come in the past three years with three teams, was traded to the Padres from the Marlins last May 4. He led the National League with 200 hits in 2024 and slashed .314/.346/.392 across 150 games.
The three-time All-Star infielder enjoyed a run at history last summer, recording the longest streak of consecutive plate appearances without striking out (141) since Juan Pierre (147) in 2004.
Longest plate-appearance streaks without a strikeout (since start of expansion era in 1961):
• Dave Cash, 223 (1976 Phillies)
• Nellie Fox, 185 (1962 White Sox)
• Bill Buckner, 184 (1972 Dodgers)
• Greg Gross, 173 (1979-80 Phillies)
• Tony Gwynn, 170 (1995 Padres)
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Arraez struck out only 29 times in 672 plate appearances in 2024, 22 fewer than the second-lowest total in the Majors (the Guardians' Steven Kwan had 51 strikeouts).
Heading into his age-28 season, Arraez was arbitration-eligible for the final time. He's been seen as a potential trade candidate, given his relatively affordable contract and the fact that he is set to become a free agent after the season.
While he's consistently impressed with his contact ability, Arraez has somewhat of a polarizing skill set given his limited power, speed and defensive capabilities. He also drew only 24 walks against his 29 strikeouts in 2024, but his lack of swing-and-miss at the plate can help lengthen any lineup.