Phillies Acquire Jhoan Durán in Blockbuster Bullpen Trade

Phillies Acquire Jhoan Durán in Blockbuster Bullpen Trade \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Teams across MLB made aggressive bullpen moves as the trade deadline nears. The Phillies landed elite closer Jhoan Durán, while the Mets bolstered their relief corps with Tyler Rogers and Ryan Helsley. Other big trades included Ke’Bryan Hayes to the Reds and Austin Slater to the Yankees.

Quick Looks

• Phillies trade for Jhoan Durán, giving up top prospects Mick Abel and Eduardo Tait
• Mets acquire Tyler Rogers and Ryan Helsley, adding depth alongside Edwin Díaz
• Giants receive José Buttó, Blade Tidwell, Drew Gilbert from Mets
• Cardinals get three prospects, including Jesus Baez, from Mets for Helsley
• Yankees add veteran outfielder Austin Slater from the White Sox
• Reds trade for Gold Glove 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes, dealing Taylor Rogers and Sammy Stafura
• Diamondbacks may deal key players amid slump, including Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen
• Other bullpen moves: Braves add Tyler Kinley, Mariners pick up Caleb Ferguson, Angels grab Chafin and García

Deep Look

As the 2025 MLB trade deadline draws near, a flurry of high-stakes bullpen transactions is signaling that contending teams are ready to pay premium prices for elite relief pitching. On Wednesday, the baseball world watched a series of major deals unfold, headlined by the Philadelphia Phillies’ acquisition of Jhoan Durán, one of the most dominant closers in the game this season.

Durán, 27, arrives from the Minnesota Twins boasting a 2.01 ERA and 16 saves, having struck out 53 batters over 49⅓ innings. To land him, Philadelphia parted with two of their top prospects — catcher Eduardo Tait and right-hander Mick Abel — underlining just how valuable elite bullpen arms have become in the modern postseason landscape.

Meanwhile, their NL East rivals, the New York Mets, made significant moves of their own, bolstering their bullpen with two major additions: Tyler Rogers and Ryan Helsley. Rogers, who brings a submarine-style delivery, has been remarkably durable and effective for the San Francisco Giants, posting a 1.80 ERA across 53 appearances, with just four walks and 38 strikeouts. Helsley, a longtime St. Louis Cardinals closer, arrives with a 3.00 ERA and 21 saves in 36 innings this season.

To complete the Rogers deal, the Mets sent San Francisco three promising players: right-handers José Buttó and Blade Tidwell, along with outfielder Drew Gilbert. In exchange for Helsley, St. Louis received infielder Jesus Baez, along with right-handers Nate Dohm and Frank Elissalt.

These trades give the Mets a formidable bullpen trio of Edwin Díaz, Rogers, and Helsley — crucial as they battle the Phillies for the NL East title.

Other Notable Deals

The New York Yankees also made a key roster move, acquiring veteran outfielder Austin Slater from the Chicago White Sox. Slater, 32, offers a right-handed bat with a strong track record against left-handed pitchers — he owns an .859 OPS vs. lefties this season while hitting .236 with 5 home runs and 11 RBIs in 51 games. The White Sox received pitching prospect Gage Ziehl in return.

Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Reds strengthened their infield defense by trading for Ke’Bryan Hayes, a 2023 Gold Glove-winning third baseman from the Pittsburgh Pirates. In exchange, Pittsburgh acquired Taylor Rogers — the left-handed, overhand-throwing twin brother of Tyler Rogers — plus shortstop prospect Sammy Stafura and cash considerations. Hayes is under contract through 2029, with a club option for 2030, and though he’s hitting just .236 this year, his defensive prowess at third base is among the league’s best.

Teams Repositioning as Sellers

The Arizona Diamondbacks, once playoff hopefuls, appear to be shifting into seller mode after losing eight of their last nine games and falling to a 51–58 record. Slugging third baseman Eugenio Suárez, who recently returned from a finger injury, is drawing interest. With 36 home runs on the year, he could be a major power addition for a contender.

Other potential trade chips from Arizona include pitchers Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen, both of whom could attract strong returns if dealt before Thursday’s 6 p.m. EDT deadline.

Additional Moves

Several other playoff-bound teams continued fortifying their bullpens:

• The Los Angeles Angels acquired relievers Andrew Chafin and Luis García from the Washington Nationals in exchange for left-hander Jake Eder and minor league first baseman Sam Brown.
• The Atlanta Braves, eyeing another deep postseason run, picked up veteran reliever Tyler Kinley from the Colorado Rockies, sending back minor league pitcher Austin Smith.
• The Seattle Mariners landed Caleb Ferguson, a left-handed reliever from the Pirates, in exchange for pitching prospect Jeter Martinez.

With the deadline hours away, more high-profile trades could be on the horizon. Players like Pittsburgh’s Mitch Keller, Cleveland’s Steven Kwan, and other high-performing veterans may find new homes before Thursday evening.

The bullpen arms race of 2025 is in full swing, and teams looking to shore up late-inning matchups for October are willing to move top prospects and contracts for the right pieces.

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