MLB Trade Deadline Recap: Philadelphia Phillies

Now that the non-waiver deadline has passed, we’re taking a look back at what each team was able to accomplish before 4 p.m. ET on July 31. Next up in our recap series, the Philadelphia Phillies.

Philadelphia Phillies (41-69), 24.5 GB in NL East, 21.5 GB in NL Wild Card

ACQUIRED: OF Hyun-soo Kim (from BAL), INF Jose Gomez (from COL), LHP McKenzie Mills (from WSH), LHP Garrett Cleavinger (from BAL), RHP J.D. Hammer (from COL), RHP Alejandro Requena (from COL), RHP Seth McGarry (from PIT)

TRADED: RHP Pat Neshek (to COL), LF/2B Howie Kendrick (to WSH), RHP Jeremy Hellickson (to BAL), RHP Joaquin Benoit (to PIT)

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The Phillies entered July with a plethora of movable big-league assets, and were able to swing four deals with contenders before this year's deadline. The trades netted Philadelphia seven new faces, including two prospects who now rank inside the club's top 30 per MLB Pipeline.

The Rockies were obvious candidates to acquire bullpen depth at the deadline, and bolstered their staff by bringing in setup man Pat Neshek on July 26. Infielder Jose Gomez, 20, headlined the package headed back to Philadelphia alongside right-handers J.D. Hammer and Alejandro Requena. Gomez, a Venezuelan native, has impressive offensive numbers at Lo-A in 2017 and ranks as the Phillies' 19th best prospect.

Left-handed starter McKenzie Mills, also entered the Phillies' top prospect list this deadline following the Nationals' trade for veteran utilityman Howie Kendrick. Mills, 21, touts a 12-2 win-loss record and a 2.95 ERA across 109.2 innings at LoA and HiA this season, with 119 strikeouts to just 22 walks. Slotting in at 24th in the Phillies' organizational talent rankings, Mills is a solid lottery-ticket return for an expiring veteran contract like Kendrick's.

The Orioles' deal for starting pitcher Jeremy Hellickson was a big head-scratcher in the baseball world, as the Orioles sat six teams back of the second Wild Card spot and were actively shopping some of their own tradeable assets. Yet the Orioles gave up very little in the deal; left-hander Garrett Cleavinger did not rank among the Orioles' top 30 prospects and big leaguer Hyun-soo Kim was an underused outfielder who will become a free agent this offseason. Signed out of Korea prior to the 2016 season, Kim was arguably never given a fair chance to live out his potential, instead seeing limited playing time as a fourth outfielder.

The major-league club in Philadelphia is leading the race to have the top pick in the 2018 MLB draft, in which the Phillies will add another top tier prospect to their strong system. With seven prospects already featured in Baseball America's top 100, Philadelphia's future is looking up. In the meantime, the big league club will have to suffer through growing pains and losing. Lots of losing. But hey, the no. 1 overall pick in the draft next year could very well be headed to the City of Brotherly Love.

For a complete list of our trade deadline recaps, click here.