Phillies deal two top prospects for Twins closer Jhoan Duran

In the biggest blockbuster of the trade deadline so far, the Phillies have traded for right-handed Minnesota Twins closing pitcher Jhoan Duran.

The price for Duran was much less than anticipated. The Phillies sent in return their number 4 prospect, Eduardo Tait, and number 6 prospect Mick Abel.

At just 27 years old, Duran is one of the top-tier relief pitchers in MLB. In 49 appearances this season, Duran has 19 saves with an ERA of 2.01 and a WHIP of 1.18.

Duran’s current contract has him being paid just $4.1 million in 2025 with 2 remaining years of arbitration in 2026-27.

While the Phillies’ bullpen has made strides as of late, the closer has been a gaping hole in the team since opening day. After losing Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez to free agency, the Phillies have been forced into a closer-by-committee. 8 different players on the team have recorded at least 1 save. Jordan Romano, who was signed to be the team’s closer in free agency, leads the team with 8 saves. Obviously, the Romano experiment has turned out to be a disaster. Romano is having the worst season of his career with an ERA of 6.81. The Phillies’ bullpen is ranked 23rd in the major leagues with a combined ERA of 4.41.

Duran, who has some of the best stuff in baseball, will only help. His best pitches are his split-finger and 4-seam fastball, which he combines to throw 71.7% of the time.

With many of the contenders in MLB in need of bullpen help, Duran was one of the most sought-after names on the market. Duran has proven himself to be a playoff riser in his time with the Twins. In 4 appearances, Duran has let up just 2 hits, striking out 6 total batters while having 0 earned runs.

It’s the definition of a win-now move, as Duran’s talent can fix the bullpen single-handedly. Having a closer as elite as Duran will give the bullpen the depth it has been lacking. With Orion Kerkering having a breakout season, Matt Strahm boasting a solid year, and even Max Lazar emerging as a reliable arm, the back end of the bullpen becomes one of MLB’s best.

Abel showed promise as a young starter who also already has limited experience in the majors with the Phillies. He made 6 starts between May 15th and July 6th, and flashed in his debut, pitching 6 scoreless innings with 9 strikeouts in a 1-0 win against the Pirates, outdueling Paul Skenes.

While Abel did struggle towards the end of his brief stint in the majors, he demonstrated immense potential if given time to develop.

In AAA this year, Abel has been fantastic. In 13 starts, he is 7-2 with a 2.31 ERA. In a Twins rotation that could use some help, Abel will have plenty of opportunities in Minnesota.

Tait will also be en route to Minnesota as part of the trade. Tait is a raw catching prospect with star potential if he develops the way many think he will. He is far from MLB-ready, especially compared to Abel.

In High-A this season, the 18-year-old is hitting .296 with 11 home runs. Tait will need time to improve his craft as he is not expected to reach the major leagues until around the 2028 season.

The Phillies have begun a crucial deadline with a statement. This team is in win-now mode. While there is still work to be done, particularly in the outfield, Dave Dombrowski nailed his first move of the deadline.

Get new articles emailed right to your inbox.