The Phillies’ game was delayed today due to inclement weather, and those additional few hours in the Windy City were just enough time for Dave Dombrowski to preheat the hot stove and make the first big move before tomorrow’s six pm trade deadline. Amid the inning of today’s delayed game, the news broke that in exchange for two Top 100 prospects, former 2020 first-round pick who made his MLB debut earlier this year, Mick Abel, in addition to the organization’s number four prospect, catcher Eduardo Tait, were traded to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for Minnesota Twins All-Star closer Jhoan Duran.

Phillies reportedly acquire RHP Jhoan Duran from Twins, per multiple reports including @MLBNetwork insider @JonHeyman. pic.twitter.com/rmARPbDDmT

— MLB (@MLB) July 30, 2025

The need for a muscle in the back end of the bullpen has been eminent since the beginning of the season, specifically after the Phillies’ initial closer, Jose Alvarado, was declared ineligible to play in the postseason after being suspended due to a positive test for performance-enhancing drugs. Duran’s fiery arsenal, while not a deeply versatile arsenal, is clearly effective based on his track record and will be exactly what the team needs immediately. With the World Series on the horizon and the team’s former closer unable to join them, giving Duran the ability to adjust to higher leverage situations, which he’s no stranger to as the Twins have been on the fringe of playoffs in recent years, night in and night out with a new staff and crew of guys will allow both sides of this deal, the rest of the bullpen and Duran, the ability to get comfortable with one another.

While the bullpen has been pitching exceptionally well in Avarado’s absence, this massive reinforcement was the most needed item on the Phils’ list of needs to be postseason contenders, truly, and, hopefully, is just the tip of the iceberg for the first-place NL team. Since May 9th, the bullpen quartet of Matt Strahm, Orion Kerkering, Tanner Banks, and Max Lazar has put up a 2.53 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP with 101 strikeouts and just 30 walks. The success has been evident as batters who have faced them since then are only posting a .206 batting average and a mere .599 OPS. Duran’s 2025 season has been just as efficient as the last few years of his major league service, with a record of 6-4 with a 2.01 ERA and sixteen saves out of eighteen opportunities. His four-seam fastball taps out at 100.2 mph, and he additionally throws a splitter, curveball, and sweeper. With several big market teams needing bullpen help, the Phillies successfully landing one of the best names on the market in terms of relievers and closers, who will be under team control through 2027, assures the team and the fans that this 2025 Phillies roster is looking to contend, and finally bring the World Series trophy back home to Philadelphia.

Now that their bullpen has received the much-needed TLC it deserved, they can finish out the next few hours before tomorrow’s deadline a few different ways. They could continue to pursue additional assistance at the back end of their pitching staff, which seems to be the central theme in the discussions Dombrowski has had with the press. Still, they could potentially go after an additional outfield platoon as well, depending on how pricey selling teams’ prices are. Despite parting with Tait and Abel, the Phillies’ most promising prospects are still intact. Now that their “big catch” has landed in the boat, they shouldn’t need to think about parting with any of their “big three,” the trio of right-handed hurler Andrew Painter, third baseman Aidan Miller, and center fielder, Justin Crawford, who many hope will make their MLB debut in Phillies pinstripes sometime next year. Right now, the Phillies are the frontrunners in talks to potentially trade for White Sox center fielder, Luis Robert Jr., as they have been the past few trade deadlines, so it seems. They’re going to be vying for him against their rivals, the New York Mets, in addition to a few other teams who are looking to boost their outfield depth. However, who knows if Chicago will be ready to part with the twenty-seven-year-old former All-Star, as there have been rumors of the team willing to part with him if the price is right, and it will remain to be seen if the price for the Gold Glove slugger is right.

One clear thing is that this 2025 Phillies roster is on a deadline to run it back with this core lineup, and with the players they gave up in return for the player they’re receiving in return, it’s clear that the front office is aware that they can shed some of their “non-MLB” ready prospects in turn for someone who is going to immediately assist the big league club as soon as he arrives with the team.