The Philadelphia Phillies headed into the MLB trade deadline looking for multiple upgrades in the batting lineup: both infield and outfield help.
They decided to address the infield first, landing three-time batting champion Luis Arraez from the San Francisco Giants on Monday morning.
Upgrading the outfield could be next on Philadelphia’s radar. Heading into the final day before the deadline, MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki labeled Jo Adell, Taylor Ward, and Daulton Varsho as possible options for the Phillies.
The Phillies missed out on two of those candidates. Jo Adell was traded to the Cleveland Guardians, and Taylor Ward was moved to the Seattle Mariners.
There’s still one possible move: trading for Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho.
Daulton Varsho Provides Defense, Hitting, and an Expiring Contract for Phillies
GettyThe Philadelphia Phillies could pursue Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho in the final hours before the MLB’s trade deadline. Varsho, 30, offers elite defense, a left-handed bat, and postseason experience. (Photo by Sage Zipeto/Getty Images)
As the Philadelphia Phillies continue to pursue depth in the outfield, Daulton Varsho checks multiple boxes for the franchise.
The 30-year-old already carries postseason experience, helping the Blue Jays advance to the World Series in 2025.
He could be added to the Phillies’ roster on a rental year as well. Varsho entered 2026 on an expiring $10.75 million deal. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent this winter.
His elite defense earned him the Fielding Bible Defensive Player of the Year award in 2024. However, his production has been low this season. Through 99 games with a struggling Blue Jays team, Varsho is hitting .243/.307/.375 with seven home runs, 26 RBI, and nine stolen bases.
Varsho is on pace for his lowest WAR (0.8) since his debut season in 2020.
A change of scenery for a team that is fighting to contend for a World Series could be in Varsho’s best interest. Philadelphia is very much in the NL Wild Card race with a 59-53 record entering Monday.
It’s worth noting that the Phillies are interested in acquiring Varsho, The New York Post’s Jon Heyman announced.
Phillies Also Look to Add Pitching Depth at Deadline
GettyThe Philadelphia Phillies could look to add pitching depth ahead of the MLB trade deadline. The franchise has already traded for relief pitcher Brooks Raley from the New York Mets with the potential for more moves. (Photo by Sam Navarro/Getty Images)
Another priority for the Phillies is adding pitching depth. They did just this on Monday in acquiring relief pitcher Brooks Raley from the New York Mets.
Raley, 38, has been impressive for a struggling Mets team so far in 2026. Through 45 appearances, Raley carries a 5-5 record, 1.96 ERA, and 1.09 WHIP over 41.1 innings pitched.
Adding a pitcher to the back half of the starting rotation could be another option for the Phillies, said MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki.
“They’ve scouted everybody from Kevin Gausman to Brady Singer to Tomoyuki Sugano in recent weeks,” the insider said.
Gausman is off the board after getting moved to the Chicago Cubs, but there are still options.
Adding more bullpen pitchers is another potential route. Zolecki suggested a reunion with right-handed pitcher Jeff Hoffman as well.
There are options for the Phillies despite players rapidly going off the board on Monday.
Phillies Could Look to Pivot Towards Blue Jays’ OF After Missing Out on Trade Candidates