Phillies 'Hoping To Acquire' Star Relief Pitcher From Struggling AL Club
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
The Philadelphia Phillies are one of the best teams in baseball, but they still need to hunt for some major upgrades ahead of the trade deadline.
The biggest hole on the Phillies' roster is in the bullpen following Jose Alvarado's crushing suspension. Alvarado was dealt an 80-game suspension that'll also see him ineligible for the postseason following a failed drug test for PEDs.
Luckily for Philadelphia, the trade block is set to have quite a few talented relievers available this year.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today recently reported the Phillies were hoping to acquire at least one of Griffin Jax or Jhoan Duran from the Minnesota Twins.
ST LOUIS, MO - MARCH 27: Jhoan Duran #59, Justin Topa #48 and Griffin Jax #22 of the Minnesota Twins look on prior to the game against the St. Louis Cardinals on March 27, 2025...
ST LOUIS, MO - MARCH 27: Jhoan Duran #59, Justin Topa #48 and Griffin Jax #22 of the Minnesota Twins look on prior to the game against the St. Louis Cardinals on March 27, 2025 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. More
Brace Hemmelgarn/"The Philadelphia Phillies have been extensively scouting Minnesota Twins relievers Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax of the Minnesota Twins, hoping to acquire at least one of them," Nightengale wrote. "The Twins also are drawing strong interest from the Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Cincinnati Reds."
It would make sense for the struggling Twins to trade both of these relievers this year.
For the Phillies, it would come down to how much prospect capital they're willing to part with to land the reliever they want.
If Philadelphia is willing to trade a huge haul, it could secure Duran. Duran is one of the more talented relievers in baseball and has team control on his contract through the 2027 season.
Jax is nearly as talented, but his trade value should be much less than Duran's. The Phillies could try to swing a monster trade to acquire both pitchers from the Twins if they're willing to put together a blockbuster prospect return.
More MLB: Astros Listed As Landing Spot In Potential Trade For $45 Million Ace
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC Sports
13 minutes ago
- NBC Sports
Schwarber hits his 42nd homer as Phillies rally past Reds
CINCINNATI — Kyle Schwarber hit his 42nd homer of the season, a two-run shot that highlighted a four-run eighth inning, as the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies rallied to beat the Cincinnati Reds 4-1 Monday night, extending their winning streak to four games. Schwarber's 42nd homer moved him past Shohei Ohtani and into the NL lead. The Dodgers faced the Angels later Monday night. Seattle's Cal Raleigh leads the AL and MLB with 45 homers. Schwarber has 97 RBIs this season. Reds left-hander Andrew Abbott (8-3) allowed only three hits through seven innings. But, with two outs in the eighth, he allowed RBI doubles by Weston Wilson and Trea Turner. Schwarber followed with a two-run shot off Tony Santillan to complete the rally. Abbott bounced back after a rough outing on Wednesday when he allowed four earned runs and a pair of homers in a 6-1 loss to the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Against the Phillies, he retired the first 12 batters he faced before J.T. Realmuto doubled leading off the fifth. The Reds went ahead 1-0 when TJ Friedl doubled and scored on Gavin Lux's single in the first. It was the only run allowed by Phillies starter Taijuan Walker in his six innings. Orion Kerkering retired the Reds in order in the ninth for his third save in seven chances. Jordan Romano (2-4) earned the victory for Philadelphia, which moved six games ahead of the idle New York Mets in the division. Key moment With one out in the seventh, Reds right fielder Noelvi Marte prevented the tying run from scoring when he threw out Bryce Harper attempting to score from third on Nick Castellano's fly ball. Key stat Schwarber, who was born in nearby Middletown, Ohio, has 13 career home runs at Great American Ball Park, the most of any road ballpark. Up next Phillies LHP Ranger Suárez (8-5, 2.94 ERA) will face Reds RHP Brady Singer (9-9, 5.43 ERA) on Tuesday.
New York Post
42 minutes ago
- New York Post
Yankees searching for Austin Wells answers as catcher's slump persists
Access the Yankees beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees. Try it free Saturday was a day game after a night game. It was expected. Monday was different — Monday marked the second time in three games Austin Wells was on the bench. Rare for the team's starting catcher. 'He's been struggling a bit, obviously, offensively. A part of it is I want to keep Ben [Rice] in there and I think Ben has done a really good job behind the plate, too,' manager Aaron Boone said before the Yankees beat the Twins 6-2 to open a three-game series in The Bronx. 'There's that. That also allows [Paul] Goldschmidt to be in the lineup. It's just trying to get the best grouping out there day in and day out to give us chance to win a game.' Could it be a trend? Could Wells see less playing time moving forward? Boone wasn't ready to go there. Wells, he insisted, is too important to the Yankees' success. He's too valuable. The manager still believes in him, but he felt it was worth giving him a breather to get both Rice and Goldschmidt in the lineup. It was understandable, considering Wells' lack of production of late. He is in the midst of a 5-for-47 drought. He has just one homer and three extra-base hits since July 8. His OPS has fallen to a meager .679, and his batting average sits at an anemic .208. Yankees catcher Austin Wells (28) reacts after he strikes out in the fifth inning against the Houston Astros. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST 'There's been a lot of production in there, too: 15 homers, [56] RBIs. He's had some big hits for us, he's had some good stretches for us,' Boone said. 'But it feels like over the last month, it's been a grind for him. Kind of working on different things, all to try to get that feeling. Because I do feel like he is such a capable and good hitter, we got to get him there where he is a key figure for us. Because he really lengthens our lineup when he's right, with the at-bats he gives and the power he has at the bottom of the order.' Wells believes he's close, that he's just missing his pitch. He likes how he has approached his at-bats more of late, even if the production isn't there. CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND YANKEES STATS 'I'm just off the barrel on a lot of breaking balls. So I'm trying to put my body in position to hit those as well as fastballs,' the 26-year-old catcher said. 'I think I know I'm getting a lot of off-speed [pitches], too, and I'm seeing it well, it's just a matter of getting my body in the right position to hit a little harder and not at people. I like the process. I can recognize the pitch and I know I'm going to get it. It's just making sure it's in the right spot that I want it to be. Yankees catcher Austin Wells (28) out in a rundown against the Tampa Bay Rays. Robert Sabo for NY Post 'It can be frustrating, especially when you don't get results. Working on it for a couple of weeks, and I know it's just going to continue to happen until I make an adjustment. But making the adjustment but not getting the results, it's frustrating.' One adjustment Wells is trying to make is to trust his hands more, and not be out in front as much. So far, it hasn't translated into results. 'The most important thing for me is to make sure he gets his confidence and feels good about himself,' hitting coach James Rowson said. 'This guy can hit, and I believe in him and everybody on this team believes in him. But he wants to perform. He wants to go out there and he wants to get some hits and he wants some things to happen.'
New York Post
42 minutes ago
- New York Post
Yankees' woes disappear as they bully familiar foil Twins for much-needed win
Access the Yankees beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees. Try it free The schedule makers presented the Yankees with a gift this week. An antidote to their struggles. A magic elixir. Coming off a disappointing series against the Astros, engulfed in an extended dismal stretch that has seen them play their way from the top of the AL East to nearly out of a wild-card spot, luck would have it that the stripped-down Minnesota Twins would be visiting The Bronx starting Monday night. Suddenly, their woes disappeared. The Twins, the personal punching bag for the Yankees over the past two decades, have that effect on them. They played their part to a tee, as they have since 2002. The Twins only managed two solo homers off Will Warren in 6 ²/₃ strong innings and the Yankees did enough offensively for a much-needed 6-2 victory, improving to an almost incomprehensible 124-44 (including the playoffs) against the AL Central foe since said year. The Yankees have beaten them eight straight times and are 30-5 against them at the Stadium since 2015. 4 Yankees pitcher Will Warren (98) throws in the second inning against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium, Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, in Bronx, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST Considering how the Yankees have played for a while, entering the night 11 games under .500 since June 12, they'll take wins any way they can get them. The four-run margin was their largest in a victory since an 11-0 rout of the Cubs on July 11. That was before the All-Star break. So consider this a minor step in the right direction, a start to a soft portion of the schedule the Yankees really need to take advantage of. Warren fanned five of the first six Twins he faced, Cody Bellinger, Ben Rice and Giancarlo Stanton all went deep in the first three innings, and the result was never really in doubt. Warren continued his recent run of strong work. He has allowed two earned runs or fewer in six of his past seven starts. In that span, he has a 2.84 ERA. Warren needed just 50 pitches to get through the first four innings of one-hit ball, and became the first Yankees starter to complete six innings since he himself went six on July 30. CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND YANKEES STATS It wasn't until Warren's 65th pitch, a slider that got too much of the plate, that the Twins scored. Byron Buxton went deep with two outs in the sixth inning for his 24th homer of the year. An inning later, Trevor Larnach went yard, and Warren was pulled in favor of Luke Weaver. Trent Grisham and Aaron Judge added run-scoring singles to extend the lead in the bottom half of the inning. 4 Giancarlo Stanton (27) hits a solo home run in the third inning against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium, Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, in Bronx, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST 4 Yankees catcher Ben Rice hits a solo homer off of Minnesota Twins pitcher Zebby Matthews in the third inning on Monday. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post The Twins never threatened again, as the Yankees cruised to a rare stress-free victory. There were a number of positives, from Warren's sterling effort to Judge coming through with a key hit late after struggling since coming off the IL. 4 Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger hits a solo homer in the first inning on Monday. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post But perhaps the biggest one was this: Two more games against the Twins.
