Padres’ Luis Arraez Undergoes Thumb Surgery, Eyes Full Recovery for 2025 Season

San Diego Padres infielder Luis Arraez underwent surgery on Wednesday to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb, an injury he played through for the last four months of the 2024 season. Arraez confirmed the surgery on social media, sharing, “Today, I underwent surgery on my thumb after pushing through an injured half of the season. Despite the pain, I continued to play, but it became clear that surgery was necessary to fully recover.”

The Padres are optimistic about Arraez’s recovery, expecting him to start hitting in eight weeks and be fully ready for Spring Training. Arraez, who was traded to San Diego from Miami in early May, was an immediate fit with the team. He secured the Padres’ first batting title since 1997 when Tony Gwynn led the National League in average. Despite dealing with his thumb injury, Arraez batted .314 on the season, although his .739 OPS was the second lowest of his career.

Arraez’s thumb injury forced him to miss the All-Star Game and contributed to struggles in June and July, yet he found his form late in the season. From August onward, he showed resilience, going 141 plate appearances without a strikeout, marking the longest such streak in 20 years. Over the season’s final two months, he hit .328 and posted a .361 on-base percentage.

After the Padres’ elimination from the National League Division Series, Arraez is already focused on coming back stronger in 2025 and hopes to remain in San Diego. Having been traded each of the past two offseasons — first from Minnesota to Miami, then Miami to San Diego — he expressed a desire to play a full season with a single team. “I’ll be more strong next year,” Arraez said. “I want to stay focused for only one team…I just want to think about the San Diego Padres next year.” Entering his final year of arbitration, Arraez is set to become a free agent after the 2025 season.

Arraez’s steady singles-focused style may divide opinions, but the Padres appreciate his consistent presence and spark atop the lineup. As he clinched his third consecutive batting title with a different team on the last day of the season, Arraez was celebrated in the Padres’ clubhouse. Whether the team will extend him long-term remains a question as they also consider other potential contract extensions this winter.

“If they want to sign me, I want to stay here,” Arraez said. “This is business… But I hope I stay here for a long time.”