CHICAGO – The big arm out of the bullpen that many were clamoring for has been gotten. A day before Thursday’s 6 p.m. trade deadline, the Phillies acquired Minnesota Twins closer Jhoan Duran, a 27-year-old right-hander, whose fastball hovers at 100-miles an hour, has 16 saves this season with a 2.01 ERA.
In his four seasons in the majors, Duran has 74 saves and has struck out 292 in 233.2 innings pitched. He was named the American League Reliever of the Month in May when he posted a 4-1 record with a 0.60 ERA and seven saves in 15 games. Duran is under contract through 2027.
He will fill a back of the bullpen void that was created when Jose Alvarado was suspended on May 18th. Duran was thought to be one of the premier relievers available at the deadline.
The Phillies sent pitcher Mick Abel and catcher Eduardo Tait to Minnesota.
The 6-5, 230-pounder was heavily sought after and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski was able to pull off a deal that secures perhaps their biggest need — a legitimate closer.
“We got a really good guy and someone we have control over,” said Dombrowski from the Phillies clubhouse. “I think that makes a really big difference. I think we’re deeper in prospects and that helps. Even though we traded two really good prospects we have four more that are in the top 100 prospects in baseball, we just drafted a guy No. 1 that I think probably fits into that category. That’s the difference. The control aspect, that’s huge. And I think we have a chance to win.
“I felt that in the past, too, we just haven’t given it up. A lot of times you can’t get a guy like this, either, with the control. It’s a situation where they (Minnesota) probably felt that, you know what, if we’re going to maximize value, this is the time to do it.”
Find the latest Philadelphia Phillies news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Philadelphia.
What Duran will bring to the Phillies is that final inning confidence that quite frankly hasn’t been here for quite some time. The move also goes a long way to showing the veterans of the team that the organization is in a win now mode.
“Whenever you make a spot for a high-caliber player it means something,” said Kyle Schwarber. “They really want to help put you over the top and get you going. With our adding him with some of our back-end arms that we have already I feel like that’s going to be a real tough seven, eight and nine to navigate an offense.
“I mean an electric, elite arm who’s been doing it for a quite a while now. I feel like that’s a guy who is going to lengthen our pen. I feel like he’s been getting some really big outs for quite a while now. We ran into him last year, saw him, and it’s electric stuff. It’s exciting to add an arm of that caliber into our bullpen and excited to get him into the field and let him roll out there.”
It is yet another addition to a bullpen that keeps changing. The loss of Alvarado, the emergence of Tanner Banks, the signing of David Robertson has kept the bullpen a fluid process throughout the season. With the addition of Duran, stability will probably be more noticeable.
The trade came about as the Phillies were getting plastered by the White Sox, 9-3. It was their second loss in the three-game series to Chicago after a three-hour and 25-minute rain delay. Reliever Max Lazar probably wishes the game was never played at all. He entered the contest in the seventh with the scored tied, 2-2 and proceeded to give up seven straight hits and six earned runs, the biggest blow a three-run home run by Miguel Vargas. It could have been worse had centerfielder Johan Rojas not thrown out Josh Rojas, who was trying to score from second on a single.
Seth Johnson replaced Lazar and also gave up a three-run homer, this one to Edgar Quero as Chicago blew the game open by sending 10 players to the plate. But the blowout loss was way overshadowed by the acquisition of Duran.
“I knew that we were talking,” said Rob Thomson. “I don’t know what inning it was when it came down (to the dugout). It’s a great deal. You hate to lose prospects and we lost two good ones. But this guy is one of the best closers in baseball. We’ve turned the bullpen into a really good bullpen, as far as I’m concerned.
“It lengthens the pen so much. You have leverage with almost every guy down there with (Matt) Strahm and (Orion) Kerkering and (Tanner) Banks has pitched really well. Lazar, up until today, has pitched really well. (Jordan) Romano seems like he can be a guy that can come in and finish an inning for you with runners on base. We got some pieces now. We got (David) Robertson coming back. We’ve got Alvarado coming back.”
As much as a big move like this was wanted by fans and, yes, players, some wondered if Dombrowski would pull the trigger after not having done so in years past. The trigger was pulled in a big way on this one.
“The difference was the acquisition price,” Dombrowski said comparing this trade deadline to others. “We were willing to pay a little bit more of a price. We would not have paid this price for a rental. That is really what’s the difference for us, two more years, two more seasons for us. So, if we were talking a pure rental we would not have traded these players for that.”
Duran will join the club on Friday when the Phillies open a three-game home series against the Detroit Tigers, fittingly, one of the best teams in baseball. There will be no doubt of his role when he gets to Philadelphia. He will have one job and one job only.
“He’s legitimate. He’s a legitimate closer,” said Dombrowski. “We talked about it beforehand that if we got him he’d be our guy. He gets lefties and righties out. The one thing they told me if you wanted to use him another inning you could. He has also pitched multiple inning various times but I don’t think we’re getting him for that purpose.”
As for still trying to get some offensive help, Dombrowski and his team will take it up to the deadline to see if they can help the club further.
“We’re not done talking,” Dombrowski said. “We’ll just see what ends up happening. I really don’t know. It’s tough to acquire two right now so we just kind of see what happens tomorrow really.”
What won’t happen is the Phillies dealing prospect Andrew Painter. Dombrowski stated as much.