The 2025 MLB trade deadline is just one day away, and Philadelphia Phillies fans are becoming increasingly eager with no moves made by the club yet. Along with a right-handed hitting outfield bat, the team desperately needs bullpen help, as do most contenders. They've been connected to a number of names with different teams, but the Minnesota Twins have come up the most with the Phillies.
These two teams match up pretty well to get a deal done, with the Phillies boasting a deep farm system and Minnesota having two popular relievers on the trade market in Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax. It should take a haul to acquire even one of the relievers, as they're both under control until 2028. The asking price for Duran, however, is too steep for the Phillies, who now appear to be focusing more on Jax.
Twins want Andrew Painter for Jhoan Duran, causing Phillies to pivot to Griffin Jax
Phillies trade rumors have been swirling despite the trade front being quiet up to this point. The Athletic's Jayson Stark added another juicy Phillies-Twins rumor today, proving that things will heat up further by Thursday's 6 p.m. ET deadline.
"I honestly think [the Phillies'] top target has become Griffin Jax, who's actually the setup man for Jhoan Duran in Minnesota ...," Stark said on Wednesday on 97.5 The Fanatic. "If [the Twins] trade Jhoan Duran, it sounds to me like they're being asked for Andrew Painter, and I just don't see that. ... I can't see them paying that price."
#Twins RP Griffin Jax has become the top target for the #Phillies, per Jayson Stark.
— 97.5 The Fanatic (@975TheFanatic) July 30, 2025
Stark also noted that SP Andrew Painter is the dealbreaker in negotiations with the #Twins for Jhoan Duran.#RingTheBell pic.twitter.com/JvmTOgdnR8
So if Stark had to predict one guy he thinks will don Phillies pinstripes by Friday, it's Jax. The Twins understandably view Duran as the bigger fish here, but the Phillies have no reason to include the 23-year-old Painter in a deal for two-and-a-half years of Duran.
Painter just wrapped up his 14th start of the season for Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Wednesday, striking out four and allowing one run over 6 1/3 innings. That lowered his season ERA to 4.50, and Phillies management likely wants to see it lowered even more before they call him up at some point this season. It's understandable why the Phillies are reluctant to trade Painter, who ranks No. 8 on MLB Pipelines' Top 100 prospects list.
Everyone else is up for grabs, however, which is why Jax is now their focus. A possible trade for Jax could look a little something like this, with the Phillies sacrificing a few prospects who won't make as much of an impact in Philadelphia as they hope Painter will.
Jax's 3.91 ERA and 72 strikeouts across 46 innings this season make him a prime candidate for the Phillies to acquire this deadline, along with possibly the St. Louis Cardinals' Ryan Helsley, whose status as a rental for the remainder of the season also should attract the Phillies.