The Philadelphia Phillies have made a move at the buzzer of the MLB trade deadline.
The Philadelphia Phillies made a last-second move at the trade deadline, sending Seth Johnson to the Athletics for outfielder Colby Thomas.
It was a smaller move for the Phillies, involving the exchange of minor-league players. The Tampa Bay Rays selected Johnson in the first round of the 2019 draft, but he has only appeared in 27 career MLB games, all for Philadelphia.
In those games, Johnson holds a 7.18 ERA with 37 strikeouts, 21 walks, and a 1.755 WHIP. In 16 games in the 2026 season, Johnson has a 5.51 ERA with 20 strikeouts, 14 walks, and a 1.776 WHIP.
He has pitched well in Triple-A during the 2026 season, posting a 2.17 ERA with 40 strikeouts, 11 walks, and a 1.103 WHIP.
Johnson now heads to the A's for Thomas, who is in a similar position, as he's struggled at the MLB level.
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectOakland selected Thomas in the third round of the 2022 MLB Draft. Thomas has appeared in 104 games across the 2025 and 2026 seasons, slashing .214/.252/.376 with 10 home runs, eight doubles, 30 RBIs, 31 runs, and a .628 OPS.
While Thomas hasn't played well in the MLB, he has thrived in Triple-A, slashing .309/.397/.574 with five home runs, three doubles, 19 RBIs, 14 runs, and a .971 OPS in 17 games in the 2026 season.
He will provide more depth in the outfield for the Phillies, but he will need to improve his hitting at the MLB level.
Philadelphia made more significant moves earlier at the deadline, acquiring Luis Arráez from the San Francisco Giants. Arráez is having a great season, slashing .324/.360/.440 with four home runs, 23 doubles, 43 RBIs, and 52 runs.
The Phillies also added more to their bullpen with the acquisitions of Caleb Kilian, Brooks Raley, and Manuel Colon.
Philadelphia has a very talented roster and will be looking to make a deep run in the 2026 season. The Phillies hold a 59-53 record and are eight games behind the Atlanta Braves for first place in the NL East.
With the added pieces to the roster, the team got better, but beating teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers will be a challenge.
