The Philadelphia Phillies made a major move ahead of the trade deadline by acquiring Jhoan Durán from the Minnesota Twins, sending Mick Abel and Eduardo Tait in return.
Tait was ranked as the Phillies’ No. 4 prospect and the No. 56 overall prospect in baseball, while Abel, the No. 6 prospect in the Phillies’ system, was ranked No. 92 overall. The Phillies gave up significant talent to land Durán, but Bryce Harper believes the trade was worth it, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic.
“The numbers don’t lie,” Harper said, per Gelb.
Durán’s performance is exactly what the Phillies were looking for. With a 2.01 ERA and 16 saves, he’s been dominant on the mound. His splitter, four-seam fastball, curveball, and sweeper all boast above-average velocity, making him a key weapon in the bullpen.
The Phillies also benefit from having Durán under club control through 2027, which makes the trade for two promising prospects worth it, as they now have a reliable closer for the foreseeable future. Bryce Harper had even more glowing praise for Durán, adding to the excitement surrounding the acquisition.
“He’s one of the best in baseball,” Harper said, per Gelb. “He’s in the game, the game’s usually over.”
Durán will play a huge role down the line for the Phillies. They lost their closer, Jose Alvarado, to a PED suspension that will keep him out of the postseason. With Durán, the Phillies have a reliable arm for the ninth inning, and he makes the rest of the bullpen better by pushing Matt Strahm and other leverage arms into other innings.
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