Padres' Luis Arraez Reveals He's Playing Through Significant Injury

Jeremy Hanna | Aug 10, 2024

Aug 9, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; San Diego Padres designated hitter Luis Arraez (4) sits in the dugout against the Miami Marlins in the fifth inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-USA TODAY Sports / Rhona Wise-USA TODAY Sports

Before the San Diego Padres' game against the Miami Marlins on Friday, August 9, Luis Arraez spoke to reporters about his love for the game and his old team.

“I’m happy to be here again,” Arraez said about LoanDepot Stadium. “And especially to face my ex-teammates, seeing (Marlins manager Skip Schumaker). I miss those guys a lot, but I understand this is business. … I’m coming here to enjoy this beautiful sport, enjoy the baseball and enjoy playing (against) my friends there.”

However, surprising news came after the Padres' clutch victory when Arraez revealed that he has been playing with an injured thumb for quite some time.

“I have a torn ligament, but that doesn’t stop me from playing,” Arraez said, per Dennis Lin of The Athletic. “You know the love I have for baseball and my job. It’s been difficult to play like this, especially hitting.”

Arraez originally hurt his thumb when he slid into third base on June 25 in a 9-7 win against the Washington Nationals. After sitting out the next game, he has since started 28 of 33 games. Only ten of those starts featured Arraez as a designated hitter.

During the All-Star break, Arraez was examined by a team doctor and told that he could still play with the injury. Sources told The Athletic that he was also informed that he didn't need in-season surgery. However, there is still the possibility that he could need surgery in the offseason.

Since he was injured, Arraez has maintained an impressive .280 batting average with a .302 on-base percentage. He has a .302 BA over the season, tied at the top of the National League leaderboard with the Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani. Only eight other players in the league have maintained a .302 or higher.

Arraez has been the epitome of consistency throughout his career. Originally signed by the Minnesota Twins in November 2023, Arraez made his Major League Baseball debut in 2019.

Since then, Arraez has maintained a career .321/.371/.417 slash line with 788 hits. He has been named to All-Star teams three times (2022-2024) and is a two-time Silver Slugger Award winner (2022, 2023). He won the American League batting title in 2022 and the National League batting title in 2023, making him the first player to win the batting title for both leagues in consecutive years.

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