NL batting champion Luis Arraez of the San Diego Padres had surgery on Wednesday to fix a torn ligament in his left thumb.
The Padres announced that Arraez is expected to start an offseason hitting program in about eight weeks and should be fully recovered by the beginning of spring training.
In a social media post from his hospital bed, Arraez shared that he had surgery “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.”
Arraez finished the season with a batting average of .314, making him the first player since the 1800s to win batting titles with three different teams. He previously earned titles in 2023 with Miami and in 2022 with Minnesota. He joined the Padres from the Marlins in early May.
Although Arraez was selected for the NL All-Star team, he couldn’t participate because of his injury.
The Padres swept the Atlanta Braves in the Wild Card Series but were eliminated in five games by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Division Series.
