By Erwin Quiñonez
May 5, 2024, 1:33 PM EDT
The Venezuelan Luis Arráez has been the protagonist of the last two days of the Major Leagues, on Friday when it was known that he was changed from the Miami Marlins to the San Diego Padres in the middle of the game, and on Saturday when he debuted with the Californians and immediately became made team history in the 13-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Arráez changed his uniform but is still the same ‘Regadera’ as in recent years. And, in his first game with the Padres, he went 4-for-6 with a double, RBI and two runs scored, making him the first player to debut with four hits in San Diego history.
The two-time MLB batting champion debuted as the leadoff hitter for the ‘Friars’ and hit a line drive to right field for a double, then scored driven by Manny Machado. In the third inning he singled to left field and in the fourth inning he repeated the same recipe.
In the seventh inning he hit his fourth hit, this time towards center field and then scored on another hit by Machado. He failed in his last two turns, but what he had done previously had allowed him to make history with his new team.
“When I got my first hit, my double, I said, ‘Here we go. This is incredible. This is incredible’. That was one of my dreams. “I am living my dream right now,” said the Venezuelan infielder after the meeting with his new team.
“He’s the closest thing to Tony Gwynn that we can see right now, so I’m excited to see him in the lineup,” this is how the Dominican Fernándo Tatis Jr. cataloged Luis Arráez, knowing that they would be teammates, knowing that they would be teammates.
“I couldn’t have planned it better. He gets the number 4 (on the jersey), and he goes out and has four hits. I’ve seen it in the league before, obviously, but it’s pretty special to see it up close. It’s great to have him on our side,” manager Mike Shildt said of his new player’s debut.
Luis Arráez was traded to the San Diego Padre at the start of the day on Friday in exchange for four prospects who came to the Marlins. The news paralyzed the entire Major Leagues since no one expected this just a month into the season.