Phillies Acquire Jhoan Duran from Twins

The Philadelphia Phillies have acquired Jhoan Duran from the Minnesota Twins. Ken Rosenthal was the first to report the news. The return package reportedly includes Mick Abel and Eduardo Tait.

Jhoan Duran has saved 16 games in 18 chances this season for the Minnesota Twins, a club that pivoted to the seller's market nearing the deadline. He's converted 74 saves since 2023 in 83 opportunities since making his MLB debut in 2022.

The 27-year-old could bring the power arm the Phillies have missed since losing Jeff Hoffman in the offseason. He has two remaining years of club control.

Duran's 100 mph “splinker” will ignite the fan base at Citizens Bank Park if he pitches in high-leverage situations in Red October. Although his strikeout rate has dropped below his career totals this season, he provides an upgrade over the struggling backend for the Phillies.

A thin bullpen has been the most identifiable weakness of the 2025 club. Their relievers currently rank 24th in the majors with a 4.33 ERA despite pitching fewer innings than any other MLB bullpen.

The Phillies let Hoffman leave in free agency during the offseason, and Jose Alvarado is ineligible for postseason play because of a PED suspension. Additions Jordan Romano and Joe Ross haven’t found their rhythm as high-leverage options.

They signed veteran right-hander David Robertson for the remainder of the 2025 season.

Both Dombrowski and John Middleton have also acknowledged the plan to transition starting pitchers to the bullpen during the playoffs. They’ll consider lefties Ranger Suarez, Jesus Luzardo, and Cristopher Sanchez as additional relief options.

Mick Abel battled concerning growing pains in his development path in recent seasons. He burst out of the gates in 2025 after a mental reset during the offseason and forced his way to the majors. 

The 23-year-old flashed his excellence in his first two major league starts on May 18 and June 4. He reached 99 miles per hour with his fastball and effectively mixed his curveball. Rob Thomson praised Abel’s poise and confidence on the mound. 

However, three of his next four appearances went off the rails and forced the Phillies to send him back to Triple A. Abel showed vulnerability to hard contact and the long ball as his ERA inflated to 5.04. He rebounded after demotion, and the Twins should expect him to pitch in the majors in the near future. 

The Phillies selected Abel in the first round of the 2020 MLB Draft. He was the sixth-ranked prospect in their system, according to MLB.com. 

Eduardo Tait will turn 19 on August 27. He showed promising power in his second season in Single A Clearwater to earn a promotion to High A Jersey Shore on July 20. MLB.com ranks him as the seventh best major league catching prospect. Some evaluators anticipate whether he’ll switch positions before reaching the big leagues. 

J.T. Realmuto will reach unrestricted free agency after the 2025 season. The decision to move Tait won’t heavily impact contract negotiations because of the prospect’s long development timeline still remaining. 

The Phillies will return to action on Friday, August 1 to begin a three-game set against the Detroit Tigers.