"There wasn't another free agent on this year's market more polarizing than infielder Luis Arraez, who's reportedly joining the Giants on a one-year, $12 million pact. Is Arraez the best pure hitter in the game, one who evokes shades of Tony Gwynn? Is he propped up by high batting averages that distract from his litany of weaknesses? Or, is the truth somewhere in the middle? Despite the lack of consensus, Arraez is objectively the only player in baseball with his specific set of skills."
"The 28-year-old's superpower is obvious: He makes contact more than anyone in the sport, and it's not remotely close. Arraez made his debut in 2019 which, somewhat serendipitously, was the same year that Hall of Famer Ichiro Suzuki played his final game. Since his first game, Arraez leads all qualified hitters with a contact rate of 93.8 percent. He's led the majors in contact rate in each season over the last four seasons, peaking at 95.9 percent last year with the Padres."
Arraez signed a one-year, $12 million contract with the Giants after a polarizing free-agent market. He combines an unmatched contact ability with a career .317 batting average, the highest among active players. Since his 2019 debut he leads qualified hitters with a 93.8 percent contact rate and has led MLB in contact rate each of the last four seasons, peaking at 95.9 percent. He excels with runners in scoring position, posting a .349 average and .837 OPS in those situations. Arraez also posts an exceptionally low strikeout rate (6.1 percent since 2019), creating a uniquely valuable offensive profile.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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