The Boston Red Sox are just a few trade additions away from making the playoffs for the first time in four seasons. Just hours before the trade deadline on July 30, when moves finally began to pick up steam, they lost out on a dream reliever target.
The Philadelphia Phillies are finalizing a deal to acquire closer Jhoan Duran from the Minnesota Twins, first reported by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Boston has been relatively quiet in trade deadline rumors, but it was announced as a potential suitor for Duran hours before his trade to Philly. The Red Sox were even playing the Twins as their final series before the trade deadline — had they traded for him when they had the chance, he could've walked to their dugout to join them.
The Phillies sent catcher Eduardo Tait and right-handed pitcher Mick Abel to Minnesota for Duran, their No. 4 and 6 prospects, respectively. Duran is under team control until after the 2027 season, and it shows in the price Philadelphia paid. For comparison, the Red Sox's No. 4 and 6 prospects are lefty pitchers Brandon Clarke and Connelly Early.
The Red Sox's bullpen owns a combined 3.36 ERA, the fourth-lowest in baseball. It could still use reinforcements, though, with multiple pitchers on the injured list and a history of inconsistent performances from some of its existing arms.
Phillies trade for Red Sox reliever target Jhoan Duran from Twins
BREAKING: Phillies close to acquiring Jhoan Duran from Twins, sources tell @TheAthletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 30, 2025
Duran, 27, has posted a 2.01 ERA with 53 strikeouts, 18 walks and 16 saves on 18 opportunities over 49.1 innings in 2025. He carries elite fastball velocity, upper-quartile whiff and chase rates, and a 99th percentile ground ball percentage. Duran's current season rivals his best year in the big leagues, his rookie season in 2022. He clocked a 1.86 ERA with 89 strikeouts in 67.2 frames that year.
Starting pitchers are on the top of the Red Sox's deadline wishlist — and rightfully so — but they need bullpen depth to stay afloat in their grueling second-half schedule. Plenty of relievers remain available, many of them less expensive than Duran, so Boston can focus its resources on trading for the best starter it can get.