Phillies Surrender Two Top Prospects For 2.01 ERA Closer Duran

On August 29, 2022, Jhoan Duran did something no pitcher in recorded baseball history had ever done — he threw an off-speed pitch that broke 100 mph. The 100.8-mph “splinker,” a hybrid splitter-sinker that defies conventional physics, became an instant legend across the sport. Three years later, Philadelphia paid dearly to bring that weapon to Citizens Bank Park.

The Phillies acquired Duran from the Minnesota Twins on July 30, 2025, one day before the MLB Trade Deadline, in a blockbuster move that immediately reshuffled the NL East contender’s bullpen. At the time of the trade, Duran was carrying a 2.01 ERA across 49 appearances, had recorded 16 saves, and was averaging a blistering 100.2 mph on his four-seam fastball, second-fastest in all of baseball.

Filling a Critical Void

Philadelphia had lost All-Star closer Jose Alvarado to a lengthy suspension in May 2025, leaving their bullpen ranked 23rd in baseball with a 4.33 ERA entering the deadline. The gap in the ninth inning was undeniable, and internal options had failed to close it. Manager Rob Thomson was blunt about what Duran’s arrival meant: “This guy’s one of the best closers in baseball, and we’ve turned the bullpen into a really good bullpen as far as I’m concerned”. With Duran locked into the ninth inning, Matt Strahm and Orion Kerkering slotted into setup roles for the seventh and eighth.

The Price: Two Top-100 Prospects

The Phillies surrendered two of their top-100 prospects to land Duran. Catcher Eduardo Tait, just 18 years old and born in Panama City, had become one of the fastest-rising prospects in the sport, jumping 21 spots to No. 67 on Baseball America’s midseason Top 100 list. Playing in Single-A Clearwater, he had been selected to the 2025 All-Star Futures Game just days before the deal, slashing .256/.328/.449 with ten home runs and 28 extra-base hits, tied for first in the Florida State League. Right-hander Mick Abel, 23, had recently made his MLB debut and was posting a 2.31 ERA at Triple-A before the trade. Abel has since validated the cost, earning a spot in Minnesota’s 2026 Opening Day starting rotation after a dominant spring training in which he posted a 1.35 ERA and a 17-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Despite the steep price, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski was resolute: “We traded away two excellent prospects, we still have four others ranked among the top 100 in baseball, along with a first-round draft pick who likely fits that profile”.

More Than a Rental

Crucially, Duran was no one-year gamble. He carried two additional years of arbitration eligibility, keeping him under Phillies control through the 2027 season. FanGraphs called him “the best reliever available; certainly the best with any kind of long-term team control remaining” at the deadline. Through his first 29 appearances as a Phillie, Duran has maintained a 1.93 ERA with 3 saves in the early 2026 season, validating every dollar and every prospect Philadelphia invested. Dombrowski confirmed the front office was not finished after the deal: “We’re not done talking.

The deadline’s not over and we’ll just see what ends up happening”. With Duran anchoring a suddenly dangerous bullpen, Philadelphia transformed its most glaring weakness into a postseason weapon in a single, seismic trade.