Phillies' Luis Arraez Dilemma is Becoming Painful

The Philadelphia Phillies acquired arguably the best hitter available at the MLB trade deadline, landing second baseman Luis Arraez in a deal with the San Francisco Giants.

Needless to say, Arraez hasn't disappointed.

The three-time batting champion has a seven-game hitting streak underway, and he has managed three multi-hit games — including two contests with three base knocks — throughout that run.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the Phillies have won six games in a row, and the entire complexion of the lineup has changed.

The problem? Arraez is slated to hit free agency this offseason, and with the 29-year-old aiming for yet another batting title, his price is likely going to be quite high.

Arraez's defense has always been a question, but he has even been terrific in the field this season, making him that much more valuable.

It begs the question: will Philadelphia be able to afford him?

The Phillies have already doled out scads of lucrative long-term contracts. Bryce Harper. Kyle Schwarber. J.T. Realmuto. Trea Turner. Aaron Nola. Cristopher Sanchez. Jesus Luzardo.

Surely, Philadelphia regrets the deals it gave Realmuto, Turner and Nola, and the team has already been monitoring its payroll.

Will there be any room left for Arraez, who is setting himself up for quite the pay day in the coming months? And can the Phillies afford not to pay him?

Philadelphia is a win-now franchise. Its core is aging, and it doesn't have a good farm system. The Phillies know the future is the present.

Now, much of Philly's offseason decision-making will likely depend on how the playoffs go. Assuming Philadelphia gets there, nothing short of a deep postseason run will suffice. It's already been made clear that Don Mattingly will likely be gone unless the Phillies win a World Series, which should tell you a thing or two about the expectations.

If Philadelphia does flame out again in October, sweeping changes could be made. But if the Phils show they are still legitimate championship contenders, then reloading will be the goal this winter.

That would include re-signing Arraez, who has long been one of the most underrated players in all of baseball.

It would also mean that Bryson Stott would have to shift over to third base permanently, and that the Phillies would desperately need an outfielder. There is no way Philadelphia will keep Harper in right field next season. He is certainly moving back to first base.

The cost, though, could make Philly balk.

Remember: last offseason, the Phillies were very quiet. They signed Brad Keller and Adolis Garcia (both of whom are now out for the year) and did very little else. They did attempt to sign Bo Bichette, but he spurned Philadelphia for the New York Mets.

What if the Phillies decide to cut back again this winter?

It's a delicate balance for Philadelphia. It needs to do everything in its power to keep Arraez, but it also must fill other holes on the roster.

It is setting up to be quite an interesting offseason in the City of Brotherly Love, but of course, the Phillies have other business to tend to first.