The Phillies are known to be focused on bullpen help, with president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski admitting as much last month. Matt Gelb of The Athletic reports that the club is showing more willingness to pay a higher prospect cost in order to get more controllable arms.
As noted by Gelb, this is in contrast to the club’s recent bullpen pursuits. At last year’s deadline, the Phils acquired Carlos Estévez, a rental. This winter, their big addition was grabbing Jordan Romano on a one-year deal. They appear to be dreaming a bit bigger ahead of this year’s deadline. Gelb reports that they are expecting the Twins to sell and have their eyes on Jhoan Durán and Griffin Jax.
The Twins aren’t surefire sellers just yet. At 45-47, they are only three games out of a playoff spot. However, the payroll appears to be tight, as they were limited to fairly modest moves in the winter. They signed Harrison Bader, Danny Coulombe and Ty France to one-year deals worth a combined $10.25MM. With ownership exploring a sale of the franchise, the front office may not get much more wiggle room to add this summer.
Even if they fall back in the standings and move more clearly into seller mode, they wouldn’t have to trade Durán or Jax. Both pitchers can be retained via arbitration for two more seasons beyond the current campaign. Both could be key parts of the club’s bullpen plans next year and in 2027 as well.
Durán is making $4.125MM and Jax $2.365MM. Both players will be due raises for next year but should still be underpaid. Jax has been dominant throughout his career, with a 2.39 earned run average, 30.9% strikeout rate, 7.8% walk rate and 63.9% ground ball rate. Jax also has strong numbers, particularly dating back to the start of last year. Over the 2024 and 2025 seasons, he has a 2.77 ERA, 35.8% strikeout rate, 5.6% walk rate and 49.6% ground ball rate.
Talented relievers who reach free agency can earn eight-figure salaries, so there’s lots of value here for the Twins. However, if they decide this isn’t their year, there would be an argument for making moves. Reliever performance can be volatile and injuries are quite common nowadays. Though holding Durán and Jax for the future would be understandable, it’s a path that does have some risk.
For the Phillies, acquiring one or both of those arms would bolster their bullpen for this year and potentially for the future as well. Romano is a free agent after this season, so it could proactively address next year’s bullpen and perhaps give the club one less thing to do in the winter.
But as mentioned, going this route would require the club to give up more notable prospect talent. Gelb suggests that Andrew Painter is still unavailable but the club might not have any other truly untouchable prospects.
Aidan Miller gets a specific mention in the piece as an attractive guy who could be moved. The 27th overall pick of the 2023 draft, Miller just turned 21 years old but is already performing well in Double-A. In 64 games at that level, he has just seven home runs but has a 14.1% walk rate and has stolen 31 bases while holding down the shortstop position.
That combination of skills makes him a consensus top 50 prospect in the sport. It’s rare for those kinds of players to be available but perhaps the Phils have the right amount of urgency. They have been in the playoffs a lot lately with a strong roster but without getting a ring. Many of their core players are now between 32 and 36 years old, so perhaps the club wants to strike before the aging curve slopes more steeply.
Gelb mentions that the Phils probably wouldn’t flip someone like Mick Abel for a rental but it doesn’t seem like he’s completely unavailable. He also mentions Aroon Escobar and Eduardo Tait as prospects who could be of note in the coming weeks. Hendry Mendez, Alex McFarlane and Jean Cabrera get mentioned as intriguing potential secondary pieces.
Gelb also floats Emmanuel Clase of the Guardians as a fit similar to Durán or Jax. Clase has been Cleveland’s closer for years now but the club is in a tight spot this season. They are a bit behind the Twins, currently at 43-48 and 4.5 games back of a playoff spot. Clase is making just $4.5MM this year, $6MM next year and then there are two $10MM club options with $2MM buyouts.
Clase hasn’t been quite as dominant this year. His 22.9% strikeout rate is a couple of ticks below his 24.6% career rate. His 45.8% ground ball rate is still above average but far off his 58.8% career rate. Regardless, he has still been quite good and there’s loads of value in his contract. The Guardians could certainly keep him around beyond this campaign, though if the Phils are dangling notable prospects, they will probably answer the phone.
Another consideration of the Phils is shaking up their outfield, according to Gelb, including trading from their major league outfield. Both Brandon Marsh and Max Kepler have been somewhat disappointing at times this year and it’s been previously reported that the club may want to make room for prospect Justin Crawford.
Crawford is slashing .339/.410/.444 in Triple-A this year, despite only having two home runs. He won’t keep a .417 batting average on balls in play forever but he has an 11% walk rate and his speed has helped him steal 28 bases and run down balls in center field. Kepler, meanwhile, is hitting .213/.307/.378 on the season. Marsh started slow but has been heating up and is now at .265/.341/.378 for the whole year. He’s also controlled for two more seasons after this one, while Kepler is signed to a one-year deal.
That means Kepler is probably viewed as more disposable by the Phils but Marsh is surely more capable of bringing back a return that could help elsewhere on the roster. Kepler is making $10MM but Marsh just $3MM. Marsh is also a somewhat-capable center fielder, which is a weak spot in the league-wide market. His defense isn’t strong up the middle but a team without better options might take a chance on him.
If the Phils think Crawford can immediately come up and hit major league pitching, there’s an argument to flipping someone and bringing him up, though it’s a risky plan. Even the best prospects in the world can struggle when first exposed to the big leagues, so it would certainly be a gamble.
It’s an interesting dynamic with the deadline approaching. Dombrowski has a gunslinger reputation and there are some signs that his trigger finger is getting itchy. On the other hand, the flip side of the Phils having a veteran-laden roster is that they will need young players to step up in the near future. Dealing prospects would cut into Philadelphia’s ability to organically shift from one era to another but perhaps they focused enough on the present to make a bold move.
Photo courtesy of Jesse Johnson, Imagn Images
“Aidan Miller gets a specific mention in the piece as an attractive guy…”
Maybe so but can he play baseball?!
Maybe not. I was a big fan, but he is still striking out a lot, and has 36 errors in 1365 IPs. Not deal-breakers, but certainly a consideration.
Good-looking ball player, great jaw. The ball pops right off the bat you can hear it all over the park!
We’re not selling jeans here guys!
Wrong Aiden Miller Link.
You can have Wandy Peralta for a bucket of balls and a signed Harper card.
Trading Marsh is nonsense unless they include him a deal for Clase and Kwan, along with Abel, Miller and couple other prospects like Escobar.
Trading Miller is the nonsense. They can have Marsh.
Marsh has been hitting better and has been fairly consistent over his career. He is a good defender in the OF and is a good option out of the nine hole. Three years of team control at what will likely remain an affordable contract through the ’28 season, have to keep Marsh. Keplar is a dog with fleas. He should be DFA’d after the trade deadline.
Marsh is not a stud – the D in center is too up and down for my taste. But overall if you compare to what is out there in all of baseball as far as CF options he has been right around the top ten. So when one looks to fix a problem, you really need to focus on bigger issues.
So if you trade Marsh, you better get some real value back in return that fixes something for a few years and not a rental reliever, as now we are counting upon a 21 year old prospect to take over in center.
I honestly don’t think anybody should be untouchable in the Phillies system.
Idk I figure you gotta hold painter with Suarez on his way to free agency and wheeler aging and possibly committed to retiring in a couple years.
They’d be dumb to trade anyone of actual value as a prospect for a RP. I don’t care how much control they have, RP are too sparingly used and volatile to be worth that much.
Singing my tune. Although if they really want a Jhoan Duran or that ilk, it will take one of the top guys. And I will not be a happy guy.
I quite like Durán. But I feel like the Twins aren’t going to move a controllable arm like that for anything less than $1.40 or more on the dollar. Why shouldn’t they, after all?
I’ll give the Phils Soto back for Chace. Keep Seth Johnson as the parting gift!
Danny Coulombe is probably right up there with Bryan Baker, doesnt have the team control, but he is a lefty and has a cheap contract. He will command a first round pick plus I’d say, his market is heating up as we speak. Get your oven mitts on if you are interested in Coulombe.
Like the two pitchers they sent to the Angels last year for two months of a reliever.
Painter and Abel can solve the problem but DUMBrowski takes pride in nuking farm systems. It took the Tigers a solid decade to recover and the Red Sox are still trying to get back.
That decade it took Tigers was also due to Avila. They had to restart rebuild after his failed attempt.
Yeah, Avila only drafted and traded for Skubal, Mize, Olson, Montero, Jobe, Vest, Lange, Foley, Brieske, Hurter, Rogers, Dingler, Torkelson, Meadows, Greene, Perez, Carpenter and Keith. He also signed Javy, which finally is working out. Avila’s drafting was excellent. He was also great in his selections of PTBNL. He just couldn’t sign FA pitchers worth a damn.
I would love to land Clase and Kwan, an idea I read on ESPN.
Guards would be accepting a rebuild at that point. Which might not be the worst outcome. Wait for Bazzana, Delauter, and Genao.
They don’t have the TOR pitching they typically do. Williams and Bibee have looked more like mid rotation arms. They need a ton of bats.
Unless they are overwhelmed, the Guards aren’t trading either Kwan or Clase this year. Kwan may go during the winter or at next year’s trade deadline as he has not engaged in contract extension talks. I believe it’s been rumored he wants to play on the West Coast.
Phillies Dodgers Yankees bidding war for a closer
Williams is pitching great.
I’m not sure if two division rivals would line up on a trade, but I wouldn’t mind the Braves swinging a deal that sends a RP to Philly in exchange for Marsh. Marsh could plug into LF and (occasionally) CF, which would give the Braves some cheap insurance if Profar (likely) proves a product of the PEDs.
Also, if it is a choice between the Phillies or the Mets, I’d much rather see Philly win the division.
Would marsh and a 10-15 prospect entice the padres to move Suarez or Adam?
Miller and Abel for Clase. Who says no?
Wow – Phils break the phone after throwing it.
Reportedly, Cleveland had interest in Justin Crawford when the Philllies asked about Clase last season. They need a center fielder and will want controllable MLB pieces in return for Clase. It will take a lot to get Clase or Cleveland just keeps him.
They should look into this Jeff Hoffman fellow
I don’t think PHI should trade high end prospects for relievers.
If there is a good controllable OF on the market make the deal but not for relievers they are way to volatile.
While a good closer would definitely help this pen, they need more than one arm out there.
Finnigan and Soroka (put him in the pen) from Washington
Bednar or Santana from PIT
Suarez or Adam from SD if SD wants an OF
Gaddis or smith from CLE
Kittredge with BAL
Erceg and Harvey is KC sells
Martin from TEX
Can all be acquired at a much lower prospect cost than Clase, Duran, Jax.
On the OF front of Qwan is available go all in same for if PIT wants to get crazy and trade Cruz.
I’d be willing to take a chance on Robert Jr. if the price was right.
Mullins is a rental so not that interested unless it’s an under pay.
I know he’s been terrible this year but a buy low on Jake McCarthy intrigues me a lot.
Idk if the twins would do it but willi Castro is a really good player who can handle CF.
Why would the Phillies want Marsh in CF when they could have Rojas and his five something OPS there every day?
I see every team in baseball solving bullpen issues from within but the Phillies with two guys – Painter and Abel – with loud arms that should get the job done insist on going for another ten year rebuild as if that is the owners master plan.
I guess that Juan Soto contract made the Phillies owner fill up his Depends.
You linked to the BR page of Aidan Miller of Eastern Mennonite U.
If they aren’t called the Flying Deutschmen I’ll be disappointed
Which oddly links to the Phillies Aidan Millers bullpen wiki page .
Also not news – playoff contenders searching for cost controlled starters with era below 3.00
I would prefer “Phillies reportedly targeting relievers who can control their pitches.”
Im sure they could get Seranthony Dominguez and Gregory Soto from the Os for Miller.
Marsh is now a veteran outfielder on pace for a blistering 6 home runs and 42 RBI. He’s totally expendable. He only looks like a hitter because Rojas is his platoon partner. To make a playoff run this year, we need an impact outfielder and at least one quality reliever. Think Buxton plus Jax. Think Reynolds plus Bednar. I’m not sure we can pull that off nor am I sure we should give up the farm to do it if we can.