"The september collapse is no more we have vinny nittoli!!" "Not gonna help them" - Philadelphia Phillies fans divided after team acquires reliever Vinny Nittoli from Toronto Blue Jays

Fans were left surprised as the Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies completed a rare late-August trade for pitcher Vinny Nittoli. Nittoli is a minor league player, which means he is still eligible to be traded, despite being past the August 2nd deadline. It was a virtually no-risk move for both teams.

Nittoli was one day away from opting out of his contract with the Toronto Blue Jays and would have become a free agent. This trade allows them to get something back for the talented pitcher, rather than letting him walk for nothing. The Philadelphia Phillies get a young relief pitcher with plenty of upside, at a time when quality pitching is at a premium.

Jeff Passan was the first to report on this trade via Twitter.

The move was not universally praised by Phillies fans, especially after the heartbreaking loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Philadelphia Phillies will need to win big in September to make the postseason. If Vinny Nittoli is able to help them get there, he will be a tremendous acquisition.

Recent struggles may have forced this move to happen sooner rather than later.

This move won't make the Phillies one of the top teams in the MLB, but it could help them improve. At this point in the season, finding ways to improve the roster is nearly impossible.

Mike Harrington provided a statistical analysis of how well Vinny Nittoli performed in the minor leagues.

The Philadelphia Phillies fanbase has very low expectations for their pitching staff.

This was a somewhat surprising move by the Toronto Blue Jays, who are usually able to capitalize on their talented prospects.

The MLB experience Nittoli will gain over the next month could be invaluable for the future of his career.

It may have taken longer than expected for Vinny Nittoli to get his shot, but now that he has it, he cannot let it slip.

The Phillies will hope that Nittoli can quickly become a valuable member of their bullpen.

The acquisition of Vinny Nittoli represents the beginning of the playoff push for the Philadelphia Phillies

Philadelphia Phillies v Arizona Diamondbacks

With the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves at the top of the National League East, a division lead seems impossible for the Phillies. This means they will have to battle for one of the few Wildcard spots. With Bryce Harper's return, the team is rounding into form at the perfect time.

They currently have a good shot at making the playoffs, and hope that Vinny Nittoli will be able to put them over the top.