The Philadelphia Phillies are eyeing bullpen upgrades as the trade deadline approaches, and they’ve got their sights set on two elite closers who could transform their relief corps.
The Athletic identified Emmanuel Clase from the Cleveland Guardians and Jhoan Duran from the Minnesota Twins as potential targets for Philadelphia’s bullpen makeover.
Both guys bring serious heat.
Clase’s cutter sits in the upper 90s and can touch triple digits. Duran throws a devastating sinker that maxes out at 103 mph. Either would give manager Rob Thomson the kind of late-inning weapon that championship teams need.
The Phillies entered the season with bullpen questions, but Jose Alvarado’s suspension made those concerns more urgent. Jordan Romano didn’t stick as the closer, and while Orion Kerkering has been effective, he’s had a couple tough breaks in high-leverage spots recently.
What makes Clase and Duran particularly attractive is their contract situations. Both pitchers come with multiple years of club control beyond this season, meaning any prospect package the Phillies surrender would pay dividends well into the future.
The price won’t be cheap – teams don’t move elite closers without getting quality prospects in return. But for a Phillies team that’s built to compete now and has the farm system depth to make a move, either acquisition could be the difference between a playoff exit and a deeper October run.
Cleveland and Minnesota’s willingness to deal will depend largely on where they stand at the deadline. If either team falls out of contention, the Phillies should be prepared to make their move.
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