PHILADELPHIA (AP) 鈥� The Phillies acquired three-time batting champion Luis Arraez from the San Francisco Giants on Monday in a move for the proven bat Philadelphia’s lineup needed in its chase for a fifth straight trip to the playoffs and first World Series championship since 2008.
Arraez is batting a National League-best .324 with four homers and 47 RBIs with an .801 OPS. He鈥檚 a four-time All-Star and, of importance in the free-swinging Phillies lineup, is a contact hitter who rarely strikes out.
He has struck out just 236 times over his eight-year career.
Arraez has 25 walks to 21 strikeouts this season. The Phillies .304 on-base is second worst in the majors, only ahead of the New York Mets.
The Phillies also acquired right-hander reliever Caleb Kilian in the trade in exchange for minor league right-handed pitchers Ramon Marquez and Marty Gair.
The Giants are 47-65 and have been of baseball鈥檚 bigger disappointments.
The Phillies also struck a separate deal for Mets left-hander Brooks Raley in exchange for minor league right-handed pitcher Luke Gabrysh and minor league outfielder John Spikerman.
Raley has a 5-5 record with a 1.96 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 45 games. His 1.96 ERA is tied for the fourth-lowest mark in the majors among left-handed relievers and 35 appearances this season have been scoreless.
Arraez’s arrival means a major shift in the defensive core lineup
Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly said Arraez will play second base, triggering a defensive shuffle that will move Bryce Harper back to right field.
Bryson Stott will move from second base to third, and third baseman Alec Bohm will shift to first, where Harper has played since returning from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in 2023.
Arraez is eligible for free agency at the end of the season, so Harper’s move to right could be a temporary change and one that allows for the Phillies to put out their best offensive lineup.
Philly has a big gap to catch the Braves in the NL East
The Phillies entered Monday鈥檚 game against Washington at 59-53 and hold one of the final NL wild-card spots. They are eight games back of Atlanta in the NL East.
Arreaz led the National League in hits the past two seasons and had signed a $12 million, one-year contract this season with the Giants. He spent his first five major league seasons with the Minnesota Twins before they traded him to the Miami Marlins in January 2023. San Diego acquired him in May 2024.
Harper challenged team president Dave Dombrowski to upgrade the roster, and he came out swinging with deals that 鈥� while not at the level of the Dodgers trading for Tarik Skubal 鈥� showed the Phillies are serious about staying in the playoff hunt and making a World Series push in October.
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