Phillies' Luis Arraez Correctly Seen as Best Second Baseman in Majors So Far

Has Luis Arraez been the best second baseman in the majors this year?

Aug 5, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Luis Arraez (4) runs the bases on a home run during the second inning against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As the Philadelphia Phillies continue to try and march toward October baseball, the team made a number of moves at the trade deadline to help them achieve their goals. 

With the trade deadline coming and going for the Phillies, the team was busy as expected making upgrades. Philadelphia was a team in need of some help with the roster being a bit top heavy and they were able to accomplish their goal of adding some help. 

Now, while the team will be seeking to chase down the Atlanta Braves in the National League East, the primary goal will be to get into the playoffs. Of the moves that the team made at the deadline, one of them really stands out and the player that they added has been special. 

Jason Foster of MLB.com recently wrote about the players that were expected to make the All-MLB team. For the Phillies, newly acquired Luis Arraez is expected to be a first-team player at second base. 

Arraez Having a Fantastic Campaign

Aug 8, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Luis Arraez (4) reacts to his single against the Toronto Blue Jays during the eighth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Even though it was expected that Philadelphia was going to be adding a right-handed hitter and an outfielder, they instead pulled off a deal for the All-Star second baseman from the San Francisco Giants. 

While the fit might not have been a perfect one for the Phillies, Arraez is the caliber of hitter who can make a big impact for the team. This season, he has slashed .316/.352/.436 with five home runs and 48 RBI. 

As one of the best contact hitters in the game, Philadelphia got a special player for the stretch run. So far with the Phillies, the results haven’t been great yet at the plate, but it has been a very small sample size.

Philadelphia has been able to do well with all of the changes and it will be interesting to see how they continue to work. Bryce Harper moving to right field comes with some risk, especially since he hasn’t been out there in a long time. Getting him days at first base will still be key for his long-term health this year.

However, for Arraez, he will be continuing to try and cap off what has been a special campaign so far. As a free agent at the end of the year, he will certainly be hoping to get a multi-year deal after playing on just a one-year contract with the Giants. If he keeps up his current level of production, he will undoubtedly be the first-team All-MLB second baseman.