Twins Send Closer Jhoan Duran to Phillies

MINNEAPOLIS — On Wednesday, the Minnesota Twins went further than just trading their upcoming free agents, sending relief pitcher Jhoan Duran to the Philadelphia Phillies as part of one of the major trades during the deadline.

Duran learned about the deal, which hinges on the athletes involved successfully completing medical examinations, on Wednesday afternoon following the Twins' defeat against the Boston Red Sox at Target Field.

As a result, the Twins will acquire promising catcher Edouardo Tait and young right-handed pitcher Mick Abel, according to reports from the Minnesota Star Tribune.

Tait is listed as the third-best prospect for the Phillies according to Baseball America (and 50th in total), while Abel holds the sixth position.

Abel, a 23-year-old selected in the first round of the 2020 draft, has compiled a record of 2-2 with a 5.04 earned run average over six appearances in the majors during his initial season.

Tait, an 18-year-old player who plays as a catcher, has maintained a .255 batting average along with 11 home runs and 57 RBIs over 82 games, primarily competing at the Class-A level this season.

Duran was considered the best relief pitcher available in the trade market, attracting interest from nearly all playoff-contending teams. Having served as the Twins' closer over the last three seasons, Duran posted a 2.01 ERA with 16 saves out of 18 chances this season.

Boasting a fast pitch that typically reaches 100 miles per hour, an effective split-fingered ball, and a sharp curveball, Duran recorded 53 strikeouts over 49 1/3 innings, achieving one of the top ground-out percentages in Major League Baseball.

In 2018, the Twins first obtained Duran via a deal involving infielder Eduardo Escobar. Duran transitioned from being a starting pitcher to an explosive relief pitcher—complete with a dynamic entrance video.

He recorded 74 saves and maintained a 2.47 ERA over four years with the Twins, and he threw five perfect innings in the 2023 playoff season as the team made it to the playoffs for the first time in 21 years.

As the trade deadline approaches at 6 p.m. ET on Thursday, the Twins are expected to be among the most proactive teams in trading away their players.

The Twins currently have five free agents under consideration: Willi Castro, Harrison Bader, Danny Coulombe, Christian Vázquez, and Ty France. Teams competing for playoff spots looking to strengthen their pitching staffs might inquire about Griffin Jax and Brock Stewart; however, neither player will become eligible for free agency until following the 2027 campaign.

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