MLB trade bombshell as Phillies land three-time batting champion to start deadline day with a bang

The Philadelphia Phillies are acquiring three-time Major League Baseball batting champion Luis Arraez in a bombshell trade just hours before the deadline.

Arraez will now join his fifth team in five years, with right-handed reliever Caleb Kilian also joining him in leaving the Giants as part of the trade.

In return, the Phillies will send top minor league pitching prospect Ramon Marquez and reliever Marty Glair to San Francisco, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

Arraez is one of the best hitters of his generation and the trade kickstarts what is expected to be a very busy day of trades, before the deadline strikes at 6pm EST.

In a separate trade on Monday morning, the Phillies also acquired left-handed reliever Brooks Raley from the New York Mets, sending Luke Gabrysh and John Spikerman the other way.

Arraez is slated to become a free agent at the end of the season, and he will likely command a huge salary as he approaches what should be the peak of his powers at age 29.

Luis Arraez is heading to his fifth team in five years after being traded to the Phillies

Batting star Arraez (left) is also one of the best defensive players in the league at his position

The Venezuelan star returned to second base in San Francisco this season and has cemented his spot as one of the best defensive players in the position.

He previously played at first base for the San Diego Padres in 2024 and 2025 but has since made it clear that he prefers to be at second.

Multiple reports on Monday claimed that Philadelphia does plan to use Arraez in his preferred position, therefore likely sending Bryson Stott to third base, Alec Bohm to first, and Bryce Harper to the outfield.

Arraez was baseball’s batting champion in 2022 with the Minnesota Twins, and then again in 2023 and 2024 with the Miami Marlins.

Pitcher Caleb Kilian is also heading to Philadelphia as part of the trade deal with the Giants

He is a four-time All-Star, and is currently in the middle of a huge season at the plate, hitting .324 – the best in the National League and only second to Yordan Alvarez (.330) in the entirety of the major leagues.

While he doesn’t often hit it out of the park – he has just four home runs this season – he is one of the league’s best at putting the ball in play. 

Elsewhere on trade deadline day, the Toronto Blue Jays acquired right-handed Jose Soriano in a deal with the Los Angeles Angels, with top shortstop prospect Arjun Nimmala, outfielder Eddie Micheletti and right-hander Angel Rivero going to LA.