Dodgers acquire pitcher Griff McGarry from Phillies
RICHMOND, VA - JUNE 25: Griff McGarry #48 of the Reading Fightin Phils pitching during the game between the Reading Fightin Phils and the Richmond Flying Squirrels at The Diamond on Wednesday, June 25, 2025 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Matthew Mitrani/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images) LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers on Tuesday made a trade with the Philadelphia Phillies, getting minor league right-hander Griff McGarry in exchange for international bonus pool space. The Phillies announced the trade as them also receiving a player to be named later or cash considerations in the deal.
McGarry was a Rule 5 draft pick by the Washington Nationals in December, but was returned to the Phillies on March 24, the day before opening day rosters were finalized. McGarry is not on the 40-man roster. The right-hander, who turns 27 in June, had a 3.
16 ERA in 18 starts between Double-A Tulsa (17 starts) and Triple-A Lehigh Valley (one start) last season, with a 34. 4-percent strikeout rate and 14. 6-percent walk rate.
Though most of his time last year came in Double-A, McGarry had three previous years experience in Triple-A, including working in relief in 2024. View Link Baseball Prospectus in January ranked McGarry as the 15th-best prospect then in the Nationals system, though noted he was more likely to be a reliever in the long term, calling him a “stuff over command” pitcher. From Michael Donodeo at BP : His control was significantly better in 2025 than in 2024—the walk rate was still 14%, but that’s a huge improvement—and it led to a 35% strikeout rate across the season.
His fastball isn’t quite as hard as it has been at times, now sitting 94, but the low release and plus extension cause it to play up and get whiffs up in the zone. The breaking balls can run together some, but he throws a mid-80s standard slider, a low-80s sweeper that can hit 20 inches of gloveside movement, and a curveball with slight depth and above-average gloveside movement. The amount of the international bonus pool space sent to the Phillies hasn’t yet been reported, but teams are allowed to trade pool space in increments of $250,000, unless sending the entirety of the remaining available pool space.