What the Phillies Got Right (and Wrong) at the Trade Deadline

The MLB trade deadline was a success overall for the Philadelphia Phillies, but there were still a few misses.

Oct 10, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies president Dave Dombrowski watches a team workout for the NLDS at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

The Philadelphia Phillies were incredibly active ahead of the MLB trade deadline, completing four trades.

While some of them involved minor league players who may not make an impact at the Major League level, plenty of the team’s shortcomings were addressed with the deals that were completed.

Overall, the deadline was a successful one for the Phillies, getting a lot of things right. However, there were some things that they got wrong, which could lead to some complications down the stretch of the regular season.

Got Right: Upgrading Bullpen

Jun 28, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Caleb Kilian (45) delivers a pitch against the Atlanta Braves during the ninth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Philadelphia needed to find some help to bridge the gap to All-Star closer Jhoan Duran. They haven’t received consistent success from left-handed relief pitchers either; both of those needs were addressed.

In the trade with the San Francisco Giants, right-handed pitcher Caleb Kilian was acquired. He has late-game experience with eight saves, and his rookie status is still intact, so he can be a long-term piece in the bullpen.

To address the need for a southpaw, the Phillies acquired Brooks Raley from their National League East rivals, the New York Mets. He has been excellent with a 1.96 ERA and will give interim manager Don Mattingly a reliable late-game option from the left side.

Got Wrong: No Starting Pitcher

Jul 31, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Andrew Painter (24) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Reportedly, acquiring a starting pitcher was the No. 1 priority for Philadelphia ahead of the deadline. They didn’t accomplish that goal, which lands in the got wrong category.

Andrew Painter did look good in his return to the Major League rotation, and Aaron Nola has been better. The team won his most recent start against the Washington Nationals, the first time they were victorious in a game Cristopher Sanchez, Zack Wheeler or Jesus Luzardo didn’t start since June 24.

That stat speaks volumes to how much a starting pitcher would have helped. It is incredibly risky sticking with Nola and Painter as the only backend options.

Got Right: Luis Arraez

Jul 27, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants second baseman Luis Arraez (1) hits an RBI single against the Milwaukee Brewers during the third inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Dombrowski had to do something with this lineup. The Phillies are over-reliant on Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper and Brandon Marsh to shoulder the load, and the team’s on-base percentage has been abysmal.

Enter Luis Arraez, who is nothing like what the team currently has in its lineup. He doesn’t strike out, constantly putting the ball in play, and owns a .360 on-base percentage. Having another table-setter ahead of Schwarber, Harper and Marsh is a major upgrade for this team.

Got Wrong: Luis Arraez

Jul 24, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants second baseman Luis Arraez (1) throws the ball to first for an out in the top of the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Justine Willard-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Acquiring Arraez from the Giants, along with Kilian, was a massive win. But it is still something the team got wrong from the perspective of what they were looking to address ahead of the deadline.

He is a left-handed hitter, something they didn’t need more of. However, he does hit left-handed pitching at the very least. Arraez is also an infielder who wanted to stick at second base. That means realigning the entire defense, which already wasn’t a strength for the team.

Harper is set to return to right field, something he hasn’t done in four years. Alec Bohm is flipping from third base to first base, with Bryson Stott going from second to third.

That is a lot of moving parts and a massive risk, health-wise, sending Harper back to the outfield. He has been willing to make the move if it meant helping the team win, but the risk could outweigh the reward.

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