The Phillies went into the Aug. 3 trade deadline with a clear to-do list, and Dave Dombrowski has spent the day attacking it from multiple angles. One of the biggest fixes is now on the way: left-handed reliever Brooks Raley is being acquired from the Mets, giving Philadelphia the kind of late-inning arm it has lacked all year.
Philadelphia is sending two prospects to New York in the deal, according to Jayson Stark of The Athletic on X: outfielder John Spikerman and right-handed pitcher Luke Gabrysh. Spikerman is ranked No. 27 in the Phillies’ system, while Gabrysh is unranked.
Raley immediately addresses a problem spot in the bullpen. The Phillies’ left-handed relievers have not held up, with Jose Alvarado and Tanner Banks both struggling. Raley steps in as a high-leverage option who can work late in games.
He has been outstanding for the Mets in 2026, posting a 1.96 ERA across 45 appearances and 41.1 innings with 40 strikeouts. His 212 ERA+ would be the best mark of his career in a single season, and his 1.6 bWAR is also a personal best. He is set to become a free agent after the season.
The Raley move is not the only bullpen addition Philadelphia has made. The club is also bringing in Caleb Kilian from the Giants, a reliever who has eight saves this year and a 0.2 bWAR. That gives the Phillies another arm for the back end and helps deepen the bridge to All-Star closer Jhoan Duran, with Orion Kerkering having had a few rough outings in the second half.
The deadline work has not stopped in the bullpen, either. The Phillies are also set to land second baseman Luis Arraez in a separate deal with the Giants. Arraez gives them a needed spark near the top of the order and a table-setter for Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper.
At the plate, Arraez brings a contact-heavy game that Philadelphia badly needs more of. He has the lowest strikeout rate and whiff rate in the MLB, and he is also delivering elite defense at second base for the first time in his career.
In Other News...
Phillies Just Made A Deadline Move That Changes A Crowded Roster
The Phillies added to their roster in a deal with the Giants, bringing in second baseman Luis Arraez and right-handed pitcher Caleb Killian as they continue sorting out the shape of a club that expects to be active around the deadline. It is the kind of move that speaks to both present needs and the larger picture, with Philadelphia looking for help in the lineup and another arm to strengthen the bullpen.
San Franciscos return came in the form of right-handers Ramon Marquez and Marty Gair, a reminder that even late-July moves can ripple through a roster in more than one direction. For the Phillies, the trade also adds another layer to a crowded mix of options, and the next question is how quickly the new arrivals can fit into a team trying to sharpen itself before the deadline passes. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Roster Shuffle Just Put Several Depth Pieces In Trouble
A busy roster day in Philadelphia sent three depth pieces off the 40-man picture as the Phillies made room for their latest additions. Catcher Payton Henry and relievers Lou Trivino and Nolan Hoffman were designated for assignment, a familiar late-July squeeze that often says as much about timing as it does about performance.
The moves opened space for Luis Arraez, Caleb Kilian and Brooks Raley, a trio that reshapes the immediate roster math and pushes the displaced players into an uncertain holding pattern. Henry, Trivino and Hoffman can still be traded before the deadline or end up on waivers, but for now they are the latest names caught in the churn as the Phillies keep adjusting around the edges. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Just Sparked The Infield Shakeup Fans Saw Coming
The Phillies made a notable move to add more contact to their lineup, reaching a deal with the Giants that brings in right-handed reliever Caleb Kilian while sending Ramon Marquez and Marty Gair the other way. The headliner in the swap is a 29-year-old second baseman whose calling card has long been a high batting average and a low strikeout rate, exactly the kind of profile that can shift a lineups shape as much as it changes its look.
For Philadelphia, the bigger question now is less about the trade itself and more about where everyone fits once the new pieces are in place. The infield already had some moving parts, and this addition only sharpens the uncertainty around who settles at second, how the corners are arranged and whether the middle infield gets pushed into a new alignment. [Read more 🡒]