Luis Arraez’s ‘really excited’ initial reaction to joining Phillies

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Luis Arraez’s ‘really excited’ initial reaction to joining Phillies

Originally posted on MLB on ClutchPoints
By Jedd Pagaduan, ClutchPoints | Last updated Aug 4, 2026 12:51 AM ET

On the day of the trade deadline, the Philadelphia Phillies, in desperate need of some hitting reinforcements, swung a trade for second baseman Luis Arraez, sending top pitching prospect Ramon Marquez as well as relief prospect Marty Gair to the San Francisco Giants. The Phillies also acquired reliever Caleb Kilian in the trade.

Arraez remains one of the best pure hitters in MLB, as he is currently sporting the best batting average in the National League (at .324). He has also rectified his past defensive woes, stepping up and becoming one of the best second base fielders in MLB. Suffice to say, he has become more of a well-rounded player than ever, and he is raring to join a Phillies team that’s looking to cement itself as a postseason-caliber squad.

“I’m really excited. I can’t wait to come tomorrow and then enjoy,” Arraez said upon his arrival in Philadelphia, via John Clark of NBC Sports Philly.

New Phils second baseman Luis Arreaz appreciates the respect Bryce Harper and the Phils showed him moving positions to let him play second base. Luis Arrived in Philly tonight@Arraez_21 has the highest batting average among active players, .318, minimum 3,000 at-bats…

— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) August 4, 2026

The Phillies are reshuffling their defensive setup to accommodate for Arraez’s arrival. The biggest development in the aftermath of the Arraez trade is that Bryce Harper will be moving back to right field, where he hasn’t played since 2022.

With Harper’s move to the outfield, Alec Bohm will be moving from third base to first, and Bryson Stott will shift over from second to third — freeing up Arraez to play in his preferred position. For the newest Phillies player, this is a sign of huge respect for what he brings to the table.

“It’s a lot of respect. Wow. It’s a lot of respect for me,” Arraez added.

Arraez is currently boasting an OPS of .800 on the season, with a solid OBP of .360. He’ll be a free agent at season’s end, although the Phillies could perhaps re-sign him if his addition works out. The defensive repercussions of his arrival will be interesting to monitor, although his massive improvements at second base should mitigate whatever defensive downgrades they might experience in other positions.

This article first appeared on MLB on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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