Phillies Excluded Arraez From Wild Card Roster
The Philadelphia Phillies left Luis Arraez off their NL Wild Card series roster due to an ankle injury.
Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Baseball
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Should the Phillies prioritize keeping multiple catchers over adding injured players to their postseason roster?
The Philadelphia Phillies have excluded Luis Arraez from their roster for the NL Wild Card series against the Atlanta Braves. Arraez sustained an ankle injury during the final week of the 2026 regular season.
Why it matters
The team opted to prioritize depth by carrying three catchers and adding Otto Kemp to provide a right-handed hitting option. Arraez may still be considered for the NLDS roster should the team advance.
The Phillies' roster includes three catchers: J.T. Realmuto, Rafael Marchan, and Garrett Stubbs. This decision marks the third consecutive season that a trade deadline acquisition for the club has missed postseason time.
The players
Luis Arraez
He is a professional baseball infielder who was acquired by the Philadelphia Phillies at the 2026 trade deadline.
Otto Kemp
He is a professional baseball player included on the Philadelphia Phillies roster to serve as a right-handed bench option.
Philadelphia Phillies
This Major League Baseball team is based in Philadelphia and competes in the National League East division.
Atlanta Braves
This professional baseball team is based in Atlanta and serves as the Philadelphia Phillies opponent in the Wild Card series.
The details
The team chose to include Otto Kemp as a bench option to optimize right-handed hitting opportunities. Additionally, Gabriel Rincones Jr. and Felix Reyes were ruled out of postseason consideration due to their respective injuries.
Timeline
The Phillies acquired Luis Arraez from the San Francisco Giants at the 2026 MLB trade deadline.
Luis Arraez sustained an ankle injury in late September 2026.
The roster news was reported on September 28, 2026.
Season Trajectory
The exclusion of a key acquisition like Arraez highlights the fragility of postseason depth after a grueling regular season schedule. This roster move directly impacts the team's ability to balance lineup flexibility against the necessity of carrying three catchers.
The Phillies will carry J.T. Realmuto, Rafael Marchan, and Garrett Stubbs as their three catchers during the series. This roster configuration prioritizes defensive versatility at the catcher position to compensate for minor league injuries.
The takeaway
Injuries during the final stretch of the season force teams to make difficult trade-offs when finalizing their postseason lineups. Fans should note that roster flexibility remains limited by the requirement to carry backup depth at specialized positions like catcher.
Further reading
For more on the team's postseason push, visit the Baseball section.
Live Poll
Should the Phillies prioritize keeping multiple catchers over adding injured players to their postseason roster?
