Fire sale commences? Marlins pull Arraez from lineup before game in Oakland, set on shipping batting champ to Padres

By JANIE McCAULEY (AP Baseball Writer)

OAKLAND, Calif. — The Miami Marlins are working on a trade that would send second baseman and reigning NL batting champion Luis Arraez to the San Diego Padres.

The Marlins said Friday that the deal was pending a review of medical information before it could be finalized and formally announced.

Miami changed its lineup minutes before first pitch in Oakland, pulling the 27-year-old Arraez out of the leadoff spot.

Instead, he made his way through the visitor’s dugout at the Coliseum shaking hands and offering hugs and goodbyes with his now-former teammates, coaches and staff.

He should provide an instant spark to the Padres’ lineup. San Diego trails the first-place Dodgers in the talented NL West.

Arraez was hitting .299 with five RBIs and had scored 22 runs with a .347 on-base percentage over 16 games during Miami’s 9-24 start. A two-time All-Star, he also won an AL batting title for the Minnesota Twins in 2022 before they traded him to Miami for Pablo Lopez in January 2023.

The news comes two days after the Marlins’ Bally Sports television coverage on Xfinity ended after a dispute.

ESPN first reported the trade Friday.

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