Phillies Bolster Bullpen with Jhoan Duran Trade
The Philadelphia Phillies made a significant move on Wednesday, acquiring closer Jhoan Duran from the Minnesota Twins to strengthen their bullpen. In exchange, the Phillies will send catching prospect Eduardo Tait and pitching prospect Mick Abel to Minnesota.
As the trade deadline looms, Duran emerged as one of the most sought-after relievers. "We just thought he was the best guy out there," said Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski after the team’s 9-3 defeat to the Chicago White Sox.
Dombrowski emphasized the value of securing a dominant closer, stating, "We felt that this was a deal that we got a dominant closer for a tough price, two good players, but something that we think where we are makes sense." The discussions with the Twins intensified in the days leading up to the trade.
At 27 years old, Duran boasts an impressive four-pitch repertoire, highlighted by a split-finger fastball that averages 97.5 mph and a four-seam fastball clocking in at 100.2 mph, according to Statcast. This season, he has posted a 2.01 ERA with 16 saves and a 1.18 WHIP over 49 games, striking out 53 batters while allowing just one home run. His playoff performance in 2023 included five innings pitched, six strikeouts, and two saves.
Duran is under team control through arbitration until the end of the 2027 season, with a salary of $4.125 million in 2025. Dombrowski noted that this long-term control was crucial in making the trade. "We would not have paid this price for a rental," he remarked, highlighting the strategic advantage of acquiring Duran for multiple seasons.
Heading into the trade deadline, enhancing the bullpen was a top priority for Philadelphia. The team's bullpen ERA stood at 4.31, placing them in the lower half of Major League Baseball. With Duran joining the roster ahead of a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers, Dombrowski indicated that no further bullpen additions are anticipated.
Duran will integrate into a bullpen that already includes Matt Strahm and Orion Kerkering, alongside veteran David Robertson, who was signed earlier this month. The need for additional depth became apparent after José Alvarado received an 80-game suspension for a performance-enhancing substance violation. Although Alvarado may return in late August, he will be ineligible for postseason play.
Notably, the Phillies managed to acquire Duran without parting with their top three prospects: Andrew Painter, Aidan Miller, and Justin Crawford. Tait ranked as Philadelphia's No. 4 prospect, while Abel was No. 6 and had shown promise as a potential starter since his call-up in 2025.
Dombrowski revealed that many teams were interested in Painter when discussing top relievers but he remained firm on keeping his top prospect. As the clock ticks down to Thursday's 6 p.m. trade deadline, the Phillies may still pursue additional deals to enhance their lineup with another outfield bat.
"We're not done," Dombrowski asserted. "I mean, we're not done talking and the deadline is not over. We'll see what ends up happening. I really don't know. They're really tough to acquire too right now, so we have to kind of see what happens tomorrow, really."
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