DURAN DEALT TO THE PHILLIES!
The Philadelphia Phillies acquired pitcher Jhoan Duran from the Minnesota Twins for pitcher Mick Abel and catcher Eduardo Tait.
What does it give the Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies have not had a consistent closer since Jose Alvarado was suspended early this season. That will change after this huge addition of Duran. The hard-throwing right-hander is one of the top late-inning relievers in baseball. Duran has been great this season, too, with a 2.01 ERA and 16 saves. He will immediately give Philadelphia's bullpen a major boost. The 27-year-old also comes with two more years of team control.
What does it give the Minnesota Twins
Abel is a great addition for the Twins pitching staff, which is now loaded with young talent. The 23-year-old top prospect made some promising starts for the Phillies earlier this season, and his next chance should come soon with Minnesota's rotation dealing with injuries. In addition, Tait is a young catcher with loads of potential. He is just 18 years old but will immediately be among Minnesota's top offensive prospects. Losing Duran hurts, but these are solid additions as the Twins sell amid a down year.
Fantasy impact
Duran's value should only rise after this trade, as he could pick up even more saves in Philadelphia. Likewise for Abel. He should now have a faster path to MLB starts. His first big-league call-up was not excellent, but Abel could be primed to break out soon. Lastly, Tait's progress will be worth monitoring as he gets closer to his MLB debut.
