Even with the MLB Draft and All-Star festivities taking center stage this week, Philadelphia Phillies fans are obviously still obsessing about the state of the team and the looming trade deadline. After rumored interest in a couple of bullpen arms from Pittsburgh and a connection to Cleveland's Emmanuel Clase, the Phillies are reportedly taking a close look at a pair of Minnesota Twins relievers: Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax.
Despite the Phillies' bullpen improving its stock halfway through July, with an 11th-best 3.03 ERA this month, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and his front office know that they need to add at least one reliever by the July 31 deadline. The bullpen has been a contentious soft spot on a first-place Phillies team, ranking 23rd with a 4.38 ERA at the unofficial mid-season mark.
Phillies scouting Twins bullpen standouts Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax ahead of trade deadline
As Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY reports, the Phillies have been snooping around the Twins' bullpen, scouting the closer Duran and setup man Jax.
"The Philadelphia Phillies have been extensively scouting Minnesota Twins relievers Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax of the Minnesota Twins, hoping to acquire at least one of them," according to Nightengale.
Duran, 27, has a sparkling 1.66 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with 15 saves. The flamethrowing right-hander has a top fastball velocity in the majors, sitting in the 100th percentile at 100.3 mph this season. He has 49 strikeouts in 43 1/3 innings.
Jhoan Duran, Gross 98mph Splinker. 🤮 pic.twitter.com/nXQ7eIBlei
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 26, 2025
Jax, 30, doesn't have quite as low an ERA, at 3.92, but has some of the best stuff in the game, which explains his 2.98 xERA, 1.87 FIP and his American League-leading (among relievers) 66 strikeouts in 41 1/3 innings. He boasts an elite chase rate (41 percent, 100th percentile), whiff rate (40.4 percent, 99th percentile) and strikeout rate (37.9 percent, 98th percentile). It's no surprise Jax has the second-most holds in the American League, with 20.
Griffin Jax, Vicious 3227 RPM Sweeper. 😤 pic.twitter.com/UpM1xamwXC
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 26, 2025
Duran would cost the Phillies a pretty penny to pry him out of the Twin Cities, as he's arbitration eligible and under team control through the 2027 season. Like Duran, Jax is arbitration eligible and under team control through 2027, but being a little older might cost less in trade. He also appears in The Athletic's rankings of top trade candidates (subscription required), while Duran doesn't.
Dombrowski and the Phillies are poised for an aggressive deadline, with prospect capital to spend, so landing one of Duran or Jax isn't a stretch, as long as Minnesota makes them available. The Twins are 11.5 games out of the American League Central race but four games back of a Wild Card spot. Unfortunately, as expected, Nightengale lists other interested teams like the Detroit Tigers, Cicago Cubs Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds.
Either one of these options would be a welcome sight in the Phillies' bullpen down the stretch and into the postseason, even if it costs valuable prospects. Especially since they'd be around for a couple more seasons.