Giants' Luis Arraez predicted plan for MLB trade deadline is very simple

The San Francisco Giants are heading to the 2026 MLB trade deadline as one of the more clear sellers across all of Major League Baseball.

The Tony Vitello experience hasn't gone well, and the roster Buster Posey has built is incredibly underwhelming. But, ironically, offseason signing Luis Arraez has been great, just not good enough to stop the Giants from selling.

USA Today's Bob Nightengale shared a straightforward prediction on Arraez ahead of the MLB trade deadline on August 3, and it's a very simple one for the infielder the Giants "love," but have little reason to hold onto through the end of the year.

Giants predicted to trade Luis Arraez by MLB deadline

"Prediction: The Giants absolutely love Arraez, who has become a clubhouse favorite, but have no plans to keep him," Nightengale writes. "They will thank him for his services, trade him, and wish him well in free agency, knowing they certainly helped increase his value."

The Giants might love Arraez as a player and leader in their clubhouse, but for the future of the franchise, they have little choice but to trade him this season.

Signed to a one-year, $12 million deal, unless he were to sign an extension before the trade deadline, the Giants can't afford to risk losing him for nothing in free agency.

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Trading him now, to a contender eyeing infield help, would make more sense than keeping him on the roster through the end of the year.

He has a .331 batting average with four homers, 2.8 bWAR, and an .836 OPS. He's having one of the better years of his MLB career, and should be someone that brings home a huge return by the deadline for a half-season rental.

Nightengale is predicting the Giants to trade Arraez despite their "love" for the veteran infielder, with the three-time batting champion not predicted to be in the Giants' plans beyond the August 3 deadline this season.

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