Final Look: Ranking the Phillies Deals at MLB Trade Deadline

The Philadelphia Phillies were very active ahead of the MLB trade deadline, with president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski under some pressure to help a team that has been reeling in the second half.

So, he got to work reshaping the roster and filling as many of those holes as possible. It resulted in a rather busy deadline, with the Phillies completing four trades.

Some of them were more impactful than others, with two of the deals involving players who were designated for assignment or in the minor leagues. Here is a roundup of the deals, ranking which were the best.

4. Nolan Hoffman to Royals

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Nolan Hoffman (47) pitches. — Feb 24, 2026; Jupiter, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Nolan Hoffman (47) pitches in the third inning against the Miami Marlins at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Philadelphia needed to clear space on the 40-man roster to bring aboard the three Major League players who were acquired. One of the casualties of that was right-handed pitcher Nolan Hoffman, who was designated for assignment earlier in the day.

He wasn’t available for long because the Kansas City Royals acquired him in exchange for right-handed teenager Manuel Colon. Getting a look at a 19-year-old lottery ticket as a result of trading away someone who was DFA’d is about as good as a team can do.

Alas, this deal isn’t going to have much of an impact on the Phillies’ odds to make a run in the postseason.

3. Seth Johnson Swapped for Colby Thomas

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Seth Johnson (51) walks off the field. — Jun 29, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Seth Johnson (51) walks off the field against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the fifth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Right at the buzzer, news came across that Philadelphia completed a swap of minor league players with the Athletics. This one has a little more intrigue because of the pedigree of the players involved.

Seth Johnson, a right-handed pitcher, has struggled in the Major Leagues in 2026 but has been great with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. A first-round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, a change of scenery could do him some good.

Colby Thomas, a right-handed hitting outfielder, has been crushing the ball in Triple-A. He was the Athletics’ No. 3-ranked prospect last year, so there is certainly some talent to work with.

Like Johnson, his Big League appearances haven’t been great. But he offers the Phillies another right-handed hitting option with some upside.

2. Brooks Raley Acquired From Mets

Jul 8, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Brooks Raley (25) pitches in the eighth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There were a lot of holes on the pitching staff that had to be addressed. The starting rotation was reportedly their top priority, but they were unable to get a deal done to bring in a starter.

But the bullpen was bolstered with the addition of Brooks Raley. There has been zero consistency when it comes to left-handed relief pitching for Philadelphia, and the veteran will change that.

He has been excellent with the New York Mets, pitching to a 1.96 ERA in 41.1 innings with 1.5 bWAR. That is a huge addition to upgrade the bridge to All-Star closer Jhoan Duran.

1. Luis Arraez, Caleb Kilian Acquired from Giants

San Francisco Giants second baseman Luis Arraez (1) before the game. — Jul 27, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants second baseman Luis Arraez (1) before the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This was easily the biggest and most impactful deal Dombrowski made. It was a surprise to see the Phillies come away with Luis Arraez, as the fit schematically is an awkward one because he wants to stick at second base.

There will be a lot of shuffling to the alignment, with Bryce Harper heading to the outfield, but there is no denying the help he will bring to the lineup. He is nothing like anyone else Philadelphia has as a high-contact, low strikeout rate player who can set the table in front of Kyle Schwarber and Harper.

Caleb Kilian was overlooked in headlines of the deal but is a major pickup. With rookie status still intact, he will be under team control for years as a piece of the late-game, high-leverage pecking order. He has eight saves this season and is another useful piece to bridge the gap to Duran.

The bullpen could quickly become a strength again with Raley and Kilian added to Orion Kerkering, Jose Alvarado, Jonathan Bowlan and Tim Mayza.

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