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Coveted Twins closer Jhoan Duran has a new home. 

The Phillies acquired the right-hander while sending the Twins catcher Eduardo Tait and pitcher Mick Abel as part of the Wednesday deal.

The Post’s Jon Heyman reported earlier in the day that the Yankees, Mets, Mariners and Red Sox were all interested in the hard-throwing reliever before the Phillies made the move. 

Duran now goes from a team sitting at 51-57 and in fourth in the American League Central to a Phillies squad (61-46) that is in the thick of the race for the National League East.

In 2025, Duran boasts a 2.01 ERA with 53 strikeouts in 49 ⅓ innings this season while also earning saves in 16 of his 18 opportunities. 


  Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Jhoan Duran (59) throws to the Boston Red Sox in the ninth inning at Target Field. Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Jhoan Duran (59) throws to the Boston Red Sox in the ninth inning at Target Field. Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

The 27-year-old accumulated 23 or more saves in his previous two seasons. He has 74 saves in 83 chances since his MLB debut in 2022. 

“Whenever you make a splash for a high-caliber player, that means something,” Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber told reporters, according to MLB.com “Personally, I remember ‘16 when [the Cubs] traded for Aroldis Chapman. It just kind of lifted the spirits of everyone. And I feel like that’s going to be the same thing.”

Duran was originally signed by the Diamondbacks as an international free agent in December 2014 and ended up with the Twins as part of the deal that sent Eduardo Escobar to Arizona before the 2018 trade deadline. 


  Relief pitcher Jhoan Duran #59 of the Minnesota Twins celebrates after the last out of the eight inning against against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on July 22, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Getty Images Relief pitcher Jhoan Duran #59 of the Minnesota Twins celebrates after the last out of the eight inning against against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on July 22, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Getty Images

Ironically, an hour before he was traded, Duran had addressed the idea of being dealt, according to The Athletic. 

“That’d be hard,” Durán said. “I got a couple years here and I feel like here is my family so if that happens, that’s maybe breaking my heart a little bit.”

The Twins are receiving two highly touted prospects in the Phillies’ system. 

Abel was the sixth-ranked prospect in the Phillies’ farm system and the 92nd overall prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. 

Tait was ranked fourth in the Phillies system and 56th overall.

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