Phillies Beat Buzzer Swapping Minor Leaguers With Athletics

The Philadelphia Phillies and Athletics got a last-minute deal in right before the buzzer.

Jun 24, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Seth Johnson (51) throws a pitch against the Washington Nationals during the eighth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Philadelphia Phillies completed several deals ahead of the MLB trade deadline that should improve the team’s overall performance down the stretch of the season.

In the first deal, they acquired second baseman Luis Arraez and right-handed relief pitcher Caleb Kilian from the San Francisco Giants. They further bolstered the bullpen by acquiring Brooks Raley from the New York Mets. Nolan Hoffman, who was designated for assignment hours before the deadline, was traded to the Kansas City Royals for Manuel Colon as well.

And, right before the deadline buzzer, a fourth trade was completed. According to Jayson Stark of The Athletic on X, the Phillies made a minor league trade with the Athletics, sending right-handed pitcher Seth Johnson in exchange for outfielder Colby Thomas.

Stark noted that Philadelphia was working the phones trying to get a deal done for one more starting pitcher or relief pitcher, but ultimately ran out of time.

Phillies trade Seth Johnson to Athletics for Colby Thomas

Jul 19, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics right fielder Colby Thomas (32) bats during the sixth inning against the Washington Nationals at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Constantly on the lookout for right-handed hitting help, specifically in the outfield, Thomas certainly fits that bill. However, he has yet to find his footing at the Major League level with 253 plate appearances in 2025 and 2026.

He has produced a .214/.252/.376 slash line with 10 home runs and eight doubles with 30 RBI. Strikeouts have been a major issue at the Big League level, going down on strikes 86 times for an unsightly 34.0% strikeout rate.

When he does make contact, he is hitting the ball hard with an average exit velocity of 89.6 mph and a hard-hit rate of 41.6%.

At Triple-A Las Vegas, he has crushed the ball. In 775 plate appearances, he has a .285/.360/.546 slash line with 40 home runs, 49 doubles and 138 RBI.

The Phillies made a minor-league trade at the buzzer.

RHP Seth Johnson to the A’s for outfielder Colby Thomas.

But ran out of time shopping for one more starter or reliever.

— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) August 3, 2026

It is a similar situation for Johnson, a first-round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft. He has not fared well during his time in the Big Leagues thus far, but has thrown the ball considerably better in the minors.

In 27 Major League appearances and 31.1 innings, he has a ghastly 7.18 ERA and an ERA+ of 64. With Triple-A Lehigh Valley in 2026, he has a 2.17 ERA across 26 games and 29 innings, blowing opponents away with 40 strikeouts. He has also worked in high-leverage situations, recording six saves.

A change of scenery could end up working for both players. They have performed at the highest level in the minor leagues but have yet to find their footing at the Major League level.

It is a worthwhile swap for both teams to see if they can coax something out of players who are talented enough to reach the Big Leagues, but haven’t done enough to stick long-term.

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