Red-hot Arraez hits his way into Padres history book

CINCINNATI -- Luis Arraez has been in the middle of almost everything positive for the Padres lately, his hot bat having provided the team the exact spark it needed at the top of the lineup since he joined the club on May 4.

He hits singles. He hits doubles. He even mixed in a homer this week, his first of the season.

And, he bunts.

Arraez capped another four-hit day on Thursday in Cincinnati, as the Padres topped the Reds, 6-4, in 10 innings. His bunt single to lead off the 10th helped win the game -- he moved to third on Fernando Tatis Jr.’s tie-breaking double, and scored on Jake Cronenworth’s sacrifice fly.

“I just love Arraez bringing it with him,” manager Mike Shildt said. “This guy's got three knocks on the day, swinging the bat well, and just looking to make a good baseball play. And was rewarded by being able to beat it out.”

Arraez’s willingness to take risks is only outweighed by his uncanny ability to hit just about anything thrown at him these days. He’s been terrifying opposing pitchers on the regular since he arrived to his new club three weeks ago, to the point where it’s more surprising when he doesn’t reach base -- because it just doesn’t happen all that often.

Arraez batted .545 (18-for-33) during the Padres’ fruitful road swing through Atlanta and Cincinnati.

“Give some of the hits to the rest of us,” Cronenworth joked.

“That guy gets you going,” said Fernando Tatis Jr. “He’s one of the best hitters I’ve ever seen play the game of baseball. That just motivates you -- you want to do the same thing. He definitely gets this lineup going and he just adds a lot to this team.”

Arraez’s bunt single was among the most impactful of all of his clutch hits. In this era of automatic runners at second base, a one-run lead in extras doesn’t quite feel like enough. Arraez’s decision to bunt in the 10th led to an insurance run, putting the pressure on the Reds to counter.

“I just tried to play for the team, move the runner to third,” Arraez said. “I got behind Tatis and I knew he just needed a fly ball and we would score the run. I just did my job. I bunted. I just wanted to move the runner.”

Shildt lauded Arraez’s baseball acumen -- “he’s a genius, man,” and recalled watching Arraez study the iPad prior to the 10th-inning at-bat.

“He dissected everything that was out on the field -- ‘This is what the situation calls for,’” Shildt said. “He couldn’t have rolled it out much better.

“He's got this great talent that's coupled with high baseball IQ, with great focus, and a great approach and then great physical hand-eye talent. It's just like a perfect blend of a guy that knows what he's doing with the bat in his hand.”

Arraez has eight hits in his past two games. He’s the fifth Padre to ever have consecutive games with four or more hits and the first since Jon Jay in 2016. The others: Cameron Maybin (2011), Reggie Sanders (1999) and Tony Gwynn (1993). The Dodgers’ Will Smith is the only other player this year to have back-to-back games with at least four hits.

Arraez, who extended his on-base streak to 28 games, has 31 hits in his first 17 contests with his new team, the most of any player in his first 17 games with the franchise.

“I just work hard, just come in here and play hard every day,” Arraez said. “This game’s hard. We have to enjoy it every day. I just tried to do little things, hit the ball every time like I do. If I start hitting the ball like that, we’ll score a lot of runs.”

Including their series win over the Reds, the Padres are a game over .500 and continue to be one of baseball’s best road teams. They went 5-2 through Atlanta and Cincinnati and are 17-10 away from home this year.

“It’s a team that’s going to put the ball in play. We play good defense and our pitching has been solid,” Tatis said. “Just keep the line moving, and we’ll be in a good spot.”