Luis Arraez's thumb healing well after surgery

Luis Arraez is no stranger to playing through pain, but even he has his limits. The Padres’ infielder recently underwent surgery to repair a nagging injury to his left thumb, a problem that plagued him throughout the second half of the 2024 season. In a post on social media, Arraez updated fans, saying, “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 procedure went smoothly, and I’m now focused on healing and getting back.”

It’s been a long year for Arraez, who arrived in San Diego via trade in early May. The thumb injury, though, has been a persistent thorn in his side. He sat out the All-Star Game in July, hoping the rest might help, but the pain never quite went away. By June and July, his performance slipped, but like a true grinder, Arraez didn’t let it sideline him completely. He fought through it, even as his thumb limited his ability to swing the way he wanted.

Still, by the time August rolled around, something clicked. Arraez strung together 141 plate appearances without striking out, a feat that hadn’t been seen in the major leagues in two decades. Over the final two months, he batted .328 and gave the Padres a much-needed boost at the top of the lineup.

That batting title - the third in his career - didn’t come easy, but it was another testament to Arraez’s ability to adapt. “I’ll be more strong next year,” he said. “I’ll come back healthy. I’ll come back with more energy.”

He also hopes he’ll come back in the same uniform. Arraez has been traded in back-to-back seasons, first from Minnesota to Miami, and then from Miami to San Diego. But he’s ready to settle down. “I want to play for only one team next year,” he said. “I don’t want to think about trades. I just want to think about the San Diego Padres next year.”

For the Padres, Arraez has become a spark at the top of the lineup, a player whose ability to put the ball in play sets the tone. His style - singles-heavy and light on power - may not win over everyone, but the Padres see him as a critical part of their offensive mix. And it doesn’t hurt that he led the National League in batting average, something San Diego hasn’t seen since Tony Gwynn in 1997.

Arraez’s contract situation remains a bit unclear. He’s entering his final year of arbitration before hitting free agency after 2025, and he’s made it clear that he’d like to stay in San Diego. “If they want to sign me, I want to stay here,” Arraez said. “This is business. I understand the business. But I hope I stay here for a long time.”

With the Padres’ offseason full of other looming questions about long-term extensions and roster construction, Arraez’s future may not be the most urgent matter. But if he’s healthy and producing again next season, they’ll likely want to keep him around. After all, as manager Mike Shildt joked when Arraez clinched his third straight batting title, “We did say that we expect the next couple [batting titles] to come for San Diego.”

As for now, though, Arraez’s focus is solely on healing. And after a thumb injury that made him fight for every hit down the stretch, he’s earned the rest.