The 2026 MLB Trade Deadline passed on Aug. 3 with many big names on the move. Tigers’ ace Tarik Skubal was acquired by the Dodgers, adding to an already dominant starting rotation. In a shocking Deadline Day move, the Orioles traded catcher Adley Rutschman to the division rival Red Sox.
After making a pair of trades in the final morning, the Phillies were surprisingly quiet afterward. The Phillies added Luis Arraez from the Giants to their lineup alongside reliever Caleb Kilian to shore up their bullpen. Shortly after, they swung a deal with their division rival, acquiring lefty reliever Brooks Raley from the Mets. Their last trade came right at the buzzer, adding outfield depth in the Athletics’ former top-3 prospect Colby Thomas for Seth Johnson.
While the Phillies missed out on adding a starting pitcher or another quality right-handed batter, their deadline moves still proved to be effective. The team won’t get to know if they did enough until their season is over. However, their additions should still be largely a positive for their team now.
Who’s In for the Phillies?
The most notable addition to the Phillies this deadline was second baseman Luis Arraez. A high-contact, low-strikeout hitter, Arraez contradicts many flaws of the team’s current lineup. While the team has the seventh-highest strikeout rate in baseball, Arraez sports the lowest among all hitters at 4.5%. Most notably, he’s improved his defense greatly, going from a liability at second base to one of the best fielders this year.
In the same trade, the Phillies added Caleb Kilian. Like the offseason acquisition of Jonathan Bowlan, Kilian is a reliever with multiple years of control and promising stuff. Despite a fine but unimpressive 4.17 ERA, he displays promising metrics that hint at the potential for better results:
- K%- 27.5 (81st percentile)
- Whiff%- 28.8 (76th percentile)
- HardHit%- 35.6 (69th percentile)
- Average Exit Velocity- 87.4 MPH (78th percentile)
- GB%- 49.2 (81st percentile)
The last major league addition was Brooks Raley from the Mets. Raley should bring much-needed help in the bullpen, specifically from lefties. His 1.96 ERA is over two runs better than the second-best lefty ERA on the team (Tim Mayza, 4.04). He doesn’t throw very hard and is roughly average in terms of strikeout and walk rate. Where he excels, however, is in his ability to limit hard contact:
- Average Exit Velocity- 86.8 MPH (86th percentile)
- Barrel%- 4.5 (89th percentile)
- HardHit%- 30.4 (94th percentile)
Colby Thomas was the last addition to the team and was optioned to Triple-A after being added. Thomas has generated elite contact at Triple-A but has struggled to translate that to MLB success. Over his last two years in AAA, Thomas has slashed .294/.371/.536 with 23 home runs in 99 games. In 104 MLB games, however, he’s hit just .214/.252/.376, with a 34% strikeout rate.
Who Did the Phillies Send Out?
The Phillies gave up four prospects, two being rated in their Top 30 (both being ranked in their new team’s rankings too). Alongside them went Seth Johnson, a reliever with intriguing stuff but who struggled greatly to utilize it. Johnson walked 17.5% of batters, preventing him from getting the most out of his arsenal.
Unranked prospects Marty Gair (Giants) and Luke Gabrysh (Mets) are intriguing in their own right. Across two levels of the minor leagues, Gair has struck out 66 batters in 36 innings (44.6 K%). His fastball can reach up to 102, but he’ll need to get better control of it (14.9 BB%). Gabrysh is a similar story, as he has equally big strikeout (29 K%) and walk numbers (11.1 BB%). July has been a struggle for him, however, as he’s posted a 7.90 ERA in four starts.
John Spikerman (NYM #28) brings elite speed to the table, scoring a 70 on the 20-80 scale. Last year, he went a perfect 30-30 in steals and has so far gone 18-21 in 2026. His defensive work has also left few questions about his floor, with a 60-grade arm and glove. His power output has been low (.322 career slugging percentage), limiting the impact of his bat.
The loss of Ramon Marquez (SFG #7) is the most significant. Marquez had rapidly ascended onto the radar of many thanks to his dominant season. He pitched to a 1.86 ERA in Single-A over six games (five starts), striking out 40.5% of batters. Moving up to High-A didn’t faze him either, as he posted a 1.50 ERA with a 43.4 K%. Overall, Marquez has put up a 1.68 ERA this year, showcasing elite strikeout stuff at every stop so far.
Did the Phillies Do Enough?
Whether the Phillies did enough or not won’t be known until the season ends. While the team still has holes on its roster, winning a World Series would ultimately shut down any team’s concerns about roster construction.
But the most important step will be to get there. An extra outfield bat would’ve helped greatly, especially a right-handed one. Taylor Ward was one player traded at the deadline who the Phillies could’ve really used. Ward has been one of baseball’s best at getting on base this year, with a top-15 BB% (17.1) and on-base percentage (.381). His .381 OBP would be the highest on the Phillies, beating current leader Kyle Schwarber by almost 20 points (.362).
The Phillies could’ve greatly used another starter as well. They weren’t expected to be in the bidding for Detroit’s Tarik Skubal or Jose Soriano of the Angels. But several middle-to-back-end starters were dealt that could’ve served as the team’s fourth or fifth starter, including:
- Foster Griffin (Nationals to Guardians)
- Robbie Ray (Giants to Padres)
- Kris Bubic (Royals to Dodgers)
- Dustin May (Cardinals to Brewers)
Numerous other high-ceiling starters were dealt, including Casey Mize, Kevin Gausman, and Luis Castillo. These players would’ve cost more, but could’ve greatly deepened a rotation led by Cristopher Sanchez, Zack Wheeler, and Jesus Luzardo.
Regardless, the moves the Phillies made should undoubtedly help the team down the stretch. Kilian and Raley add depth to a bullpen that needed it, with Raley giving needed support from the left side. Arraez’s addition will shift the team’s defense around, with him sticking at second base. Notably, Bryce Harper will move to the outfield for the first time since 2022. Arraez has proven capable defensively this year, though, and his low-strikeout approach will be greatly welcomed in the team’s lineup.
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