RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 5 sourcesPhillies get strong grade from ESPN after Luis Arraez trade with Giants originally appeared on The Sporting News .
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The Philadelphia Phillies have made two trades ahead of the August 3 MLB trade deadline already, one of which was an under-the-radar move for Brooks Raley.
But their other trade is a massive one, landing All-Star second baseman Luis Arraez from the San Francisco Giants . They also got reliever Caleb Kilian from the Giants. In exchange, they sent Ramon Marquez and Marty Gair, two right-handed pitchers.
So, how did the Phillies do in this trade? ESPN's Bradford Doolittle graded both sides of this trade, and while the Giants received a strong "A" grade, the Phillies weren't far behind at a very strong start to their deadline with a "B+".
Phillies receive 'B+' grade from ESPN for Luis Arraez trade
"Phillies grade: B+," Doolittle writes. "The prospect value being sent away is non-trivial, but this is what Dombrowski does. His alacrity is not just in character, but it's timely, as the Phillies' grasp on a wild card slot has been slipping away as of late. This, as much as any club currently in the chase, is very much a win-now team."
The Phillies' additions of Arraez and Kilian prior to the deadline are some bold moves that upgrade two key spots for the team.
While they might not necessarily need infield help, adding Arraez is a major offensive upgrade, as he brings a .324 batting average and a very impressive 25-walk to 21-strikeout ratio to the offense. Plus, he's a good defensive second baseman.
MORE : Phillies predicted to trade for a starting pitcher and reliever by MLB deadline
Kilian is worth mentioning in this trade, as the controllable right-handed reliever could be another Jonathan Bowlan situation, landing an underrated controllable reliever who has some high upside.
While the Phillies are giving up Marquez, who is a top prospect for the team and has a bright future ahead of him, for a rental of Arraez and a 29-year-old reliever who has some upside, it's a worthwhile price to pay to get a significant upgrade.
This B+ grade is a strong start for Dombrowski at the 2026 MLB trade deadline, and he might have another few moves up his sleeve as well.
But, for now, it's a good way to kick off the Phillies' activity at the trade deadline, as this move gives the Phillies a very fun left-handed hitter who has arguably the best bat-to-ball skills in the big leagues.
More MLB news:
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Red Sox expected to trade Jarren Duran during offseason, not MLB trade deadline
What did Mets get for Freddy Peralta? Rays send three prospects for 4.99 ERA SP
Tigers receive lousy grade for Tarik Skubal trade to Dodgers from ESPN
How Cubs inadvertently helped Dodgers trade for Tarik Skubal
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