Thursday, October 1, 2026
75 ° Clear
75 ° Clear
The second half of the season is underway, and even though Major League Baseball’s trade deadline falls on Monday, August 3 this year instead of the usual July 31 date, conversations about what the Phillies need—and who they could realistically add—are already swirling.
Dave Dombrowski made several moves at last year’s deadline, but none bigger than landing closer Jhoan Duran. Now in his first full season with the Phillies, Duran has been brilliant, validating what has become the most significant deadline deal of Dombrowski’s five-year tenure.
Let’s revisit the trade.
Similar to this season, the bullpen became a weakness for the Phillies heading into last year’s trade deadline. Dombrowski was not hesitant and swung a deal with the Minnesota Twins, sending a pair of top 100 prospects in baseball at the time in right-handed pitcher Mick Abel and catcher Eduardo Tait to land the flamethrowing closer who is under contract until after the 2027 season.
Abel had long been considered a top pitching prospect for the Phillies since he was drafted 15th overall in the 2020 draft. He development was uneven for the bulk of his pro career, but it started to click for the big right-hander last season.
He delivered a historic debut for a Phillies pitcher in his MLB debut against the Pirates on May 18 of last year, where he tossed six scoreless innings, allowing just five hits with nine strikeouts and no walks. Abel made five more starts with the Phillies but had mixed results before being traded to the Twins.
Upon joining Minnesota, Abel was ranked as the Twins’ sixth-best prospect according to MLB Pipeline. In four appearances with the Twins last year, two of which were starts, he allowed 13 earned runs on 18 hits in just 14 innings of work, posting an 8.36 ERA.
This season has been a lost campaign for Abel. The 24-year-old was placed on the 15-day IL with right elbow inflammation on April 20. He made just four appearances, with three being starts, posting a 3.98 ERA in 20 ⅓ innings with 23 strikeouts.
It is a tough blow for Abel, who seemingly was getting into an early groove on the mound. Prior to being shelved, the right-handed hurler put together back-to-back scoreless starts, including a seven-inning gem against Boston where he racked up a career-high 10 strikeouts with no walks.
Earlier this month, he underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow and was recently placed on the 60-day IL without a clear timetable to return.
MORE: How the Phillies can navigate the Brad Keller injury
Tait was the Phillies’ top-rated catcher in their farm system when they included him in the trade and is highly regarded around the sport. The backstop is ranked as the third-best prospect for the Twins, the fourth-best catching prospect, and 38th overall in baseball per MLB Pipeline.
A left-handed hitter with good contact skills, he has struggled so far this season in High-A Cedar Rapids.
In 77 games, he is hitting just .216 with a .700 OPS but does have 15 home runs and 52 RBIs in 339 plate appearances. He is tied for eighth in homers and tied for ninth in runs batted in among hitters in the Midwest League.
At just 19 years old, he is still years away from making an impact at the big league level, but the upside remains real.
Duran has been sensational since joining the Phillies. In 57 appearances he has posted an impressive 1.69 ERA while converting 35 of 40 save opportunities with a ridiculous 77 strikeouts to just seven walks in 53 ⅓ innings of work.
This season, he was named an All-Star for the first time in his career thanks to a 1.38 ERA and 24 saves in the first half, which tied a franchise record for the most before the break.
A year later, the Duran trade stands as one of the most impactful moves of Dombrowski's tenure. While Abel’s development has stalled due to injury and Tait continues to show both promise and growing pains as a teenage prospect, the Phillies have already reaped the benefits of acquiring an elite, controllable closer as they try to win an elusive World Series title with this core of players.
Duran has stabilized the back end of the bullpen, shortened games, and provided the type of late‑inning dominance Philadelphia has lacked for quite some time.
There is still time for Abel to rebound and for Tait to blossom into a cornerstone catcher, but the early returns make the deal look like a clear win for the Phillies.
In a sport where flags fly forever and contention windows can close quickly, Dombrowski’s willingness to push in chips for a proven difference maker has paid off.
Will he push even more chips in this season with the deadline lurking?
He may have to if the Phillies want a chance to make a deep run in October and ultimately win their first title since 2008.
