Griff McGarry’s 2026 season did little to change the story around him. The former Phillies prospect finished the year in Triple-A Oklahoma City, and the numbers were brutal: a 7.48 ERA and 2.28 WHIP over 27.2 innings.
That was just the last stop on a season that stretched across three different teams and 34 innings total. Across that stretch, McGarry issued 52 walks, including one intentional walk, and hit six more batters. He also struck out 48, which is the one part of his profile that still flashes some life.
McGarry, now 27, is set to become a free agent this offseason. Whether another club takes the plunge again is the real question.
His path has been rocky for a while. Once ranked third in the Phillies’ farm system, McGarry briefly gave Philadelphia some reason for optimism after a short run with the Washington Nationals.
But that hope evaporated fast. In his return to the Phillies, he walked seven batters in four innings, and the club moved him quickly, sending him to the Dodgers.
Los Angeles has a reputation for squeezing value out of pitchers, but McGarry has been one of the exceptions. The Dodgers were unable to clean up the command problems that have followed him everywhere, and his career has only gone in the wrong direction since reaching pro ball.
Still, there’s enough raw stuff to keep the door cracked open. Opponents hit just .184 against him across six pro seasons, and the strikeouts have remained a calling card.
He punched out 124 batters in 83.2 innings in 2025, including three starts with 10 or more strikeouts. This year’s 48 strikeouts in 34 innings showed the swing-and-miss ability is still there, even if the rest of the package is hard to trust.
For Philadelphia, the trade has been a clean escape. The Phillies picked up additional international bonus money in the deal, and they’ve already moved on. The bigger question is whether any team is willing to give McGarry one more chance as he heads into minor league free agency and tries to avoid fading into obscurity.
In Other News...
Phillies Right Field Gamble Became An Offseason Misfire Fast
The Phillies went into the offseason looking for a cleaner answer in right field, and Adolis Garcia was supposed to be part of it. Philadelphia signed him to a one-year deal with the idea that he could help fill the spot left behind by Nick Castellanos, but the fit never really materialized the way the club hoped.
Garcia's season ended after 67 games once injury sent him to season-ending surgery, and the production had already fallen well short of expectations. He finished with a career-worst -0.9 bWAR, seven home runs and a .599 OPS, a disappointing return for a move that was meant to stabilize a key lineup spot. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Now Have A Surprising Say In Milwaukees Playoff Path
The Phillies find themselves with an unexpectedly relevant role in the Brewers postseason race, even though Milwaukee has already wrapped up the National League Central. The Brewers are now on the doorstep of locking down a first-round bye, and the path is simple enough: one more win, or help from elsewhere, and they would secure one of the top two seeds in the league.
Philadelphias part in that picture is what makes this worth watching. A Phillies win over Milwaukee would knock the Brewers magic number to zero, while an Atlanta loss to Cincinnati would do the same, adding a little extra intrigue to a late-season series that suddenly carries more than just standings value for the home side. If Milwaukee finishes the job, it would guarantee the kind of playoff setup every contender wants, with a bye and the benefit of opening the Division Series at home. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Face One October Trust Issue They Cant Ignore
Late-season pitching health has become one more thing the Phillies have to manage carefully as October approaches. Jesus Luzardo landed on the injured list with shoulder inflammation, and Jonathan Bowlan also exited a game with groin tightness, leaving the club with a reminder that even now, the margin for error is thin. Luzardo is eligible to come back by the end of the season, but the bigger question for Philadelphia is how much it can safely ask of him once the postseason begins.
There are brighter signs elsewhere on the roster, starting with Aaron Nola, who has tweaked his mix by leaning more on his changeup and knucklecurve while pulling back on the sinker, a shift that has helped him settle in better. Alec Bohm has also worked with hitting coach Kevin Long on a mechanical adjustment, raising his bat barrel to shorten his swing path after a rough stretch. Those are encouraging developments, but the Phillies know October usually comes down to trust, and right now the clearest uncertainty sits with the health of the arms they may need most. [Read more 🡒]