Even though Jhoan Duran looks exactly like the elite, history-making closer the Philadelphia Phillies expected when they traded for him, it’s hard not to glance over at the Minnesota Twins and imagine what could have been.
Mick Abel had a rough long-awaited MLB debut with the Phillies and Twins last season, posting a 6.23 ERA across 39 innings. Entering 2026, he was slotted in as a back-end starter in a surprisingly deep Minnesota rotation, and early on he showed the same inconsistency, giving up nine earned runs in his first 7 1/3 frames.
But recently, he’s shifted into a higher gear. After dominating the Detroit Tigers in his previous outing, Abel delivered the best performance of his career on April 14 against the Boston Red Sox, striking out 10 over seven walk-free innings.
It was a big night overall for former Phillies prospects in the Twins system. Eduardo Tait—part of the Duran trade and Henry Mendez acquired in the Harrison Bader deal each crushed two home runs in the minors.
Thanks to Abel and a stellar starting rotation, the supposedly “rebuilding” Twins have jumped out to an American League best 11-7 record. The Phillies, meanwhile, sit at 8-9 with a -16 run differential.
Duran’s brilliance eases any sting from Abel and Tait thriving in Minnesota
With Zack Wheeler excelling during his rehab assignment and nearing a return finally ready to push Taijuan Walker out of the rotation this isn’t the moment for true buyer’s remorse over the Duran deal. Duran has absolutely delivered, putting up a 1.35 ERA and 0.76 FIP in seven outings, striking out eight without issuing a single walk. He’s been giving the Phillies cleaner ninth innings than they’ve seen in quite some time.
Still, if not regret, there’s at least a sense of loss when watching Abel and Tait shine for Minnesota. A first-round pick in 2020, Abel was a regular in the Phillies’ top-10 prospect rankings for years, and his strong six-inning MLB debut last May was the payoff of a long development path.
Tait, meanwhile, had been viewed as a premier catching prospect since signing as a teenager in 2023, and his rise into top-100 and even top-50 prospect lists was always expected.
Both appear poised to become long-term pieces for the Twins, which only increases the pressure on the Phillies to fully take advantage of the remaining years of Duran’s team control.
Leave a Reply