The All-Star break is behind us, and now all eyes are on general managers as playoff teams look to reinforce their rosters and fill some holes, while teams out of contention focus on 2026 and beyond. The Phillies will be in the buying market, and it is well known that the team needs bullpen help.
There is not a ton of swing and miss stuff coming out of the relievers for the Phillies this season, and with Jose Alvarado being unable to pitch in the postseason due to his PED suspension, the need for a closer is a big one if the team wants to capitalize on this window.
Here are a few options that could be in play.
Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax, Minnesota Twins
This is the most obvious one. This would also be the home run trade Dave Dombrowski makes by the deadline. It also would require the Phillies to ship a massive haul to Minnesota. Think Aidan Miller, Eduardo Tait, Mick Abel, and more if Andrew Painter is not the centerpiece of the return for the Twins. That might not even be enough for Minnesota to move the duo.
Duran is one of the best relievers in the game with a 1.66 ERA in the first half in 44 appearances with 15 saves. He has 49 strikeouts in 43 1/3 innings and a career. What makes his price tag even higher is that he would be under team control for two more seasons after 2025. With his blistering fastball sitting in triple digits and a splitter at 97.5 mph, he would be an ideal power arm to come out and slam the door shut for the Phillies.
Jax also has swing and miss stuff with an absurd 38% K%, and the highest Chase%, racking up 66 strikeouts in just 41 1/3 innings this season. He is a setup man, so if the Phillies are able only to get the 30-year-old, they would still need to land a closer. The power righty would come at a decently high price. It could be a route the front office goes while they pluck a closer elsewhere.
Félix Bautista, Baltimore Orioles
This would also be a challenging move as Ken Rosenthal reported that the O’s are open to listening to offers for their closer, but don’t seem willing to move their closer. Baltimore seems to be stuck in limbo with how they are constructing their roster. Holding onto their plethora of prospects instead of using them as trade pieces to acquire a top starter in the offseason was head-scratching. Now, sitting in the basement of the AL East at 43-52 and 11.5 games out of the division and 7.5 back of the final Wild Card spot,
Bautista would be just as good of a “Plan A”. Having team control through the 2027 season is extremely enticing for the Phillies and other contenders, but it also drives up the price. The Phillies and Orioles have made some deals in the past, most recently last summer when the Phillies acquired Austin Hays for reliever Seranthony Dominguez and outfielder Cristian Pache.
It would be electric if the “Big Mountain” rumbled his way out of the right-center field gate in a Red October game for the Phillies, but it takes two to tango, and the O’s might not be willing to dance.
Carlos Estévez, Kansas City Royals
A familiar name, Estévez could add a boost as a setup man to the bullpen in his second go-around with the Phillies. An AL All-Star replacement, the right-hander is tied for second in MLB with his 25 saves in his first season with Kansas City. With a respectable 2.36 ERA in 41 appearances, he has gotten the job done for a Royals team that is on the bubble of being a seller more than a buyer.
Their best chance to make the postseason is snagging one of the three Wild Card spots. The knock on Estévez is that he is not a power pitcher like the previous three mentioned. He has a 7.5 K/9 and just 35 punchouts in 42 innings.
It was a bit of an up-and-down second half spent in the City of Brotherly Love last season for Estévez. Overall, he yielded a 2.57 ERA in 20 appearances while picking up six saves with the Phillies, but some of his blown saves came at inopportune times.
He would be a supplemental piece for the Phillies this time around.
Pete Fairbanks, Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays are always a sneaky team in the AL East. Seemingly every year, they are in the thick of a postseason berth. This season, that is no different. The Rays are 5.5 games out of first place in the division, while just 1.5 games out of the final Wild Card spot currently being held by Seattle. If the Rays falter in the next 10 days, Fairbanks could be on the block.
The 31-year-old is only signed through this season, but does have a 2026 team option. He could be a less expensive option to close games for the Phillies. He has 15 saves this season and a 2.75 ERA in 37 appearances. He won’t wow fans with his stuff and doesn’t produce a high chase rate, but what he does do well is keep the ball in the yard.
He has allowed just one home run in 36 innings this season, and it came on July 11 thanks to his league-best Barrels/PA ratio per Statcast. That is extremely valuable as a closer to not allow back-breaking late inning home runs. In his seven-year career, he has only allowed 18 long balls over 251 appearances.
Other Potential Targets
David Bednar & Dennis Santana, Pittsburgh Pirates
Anthony Bender, Miami Marlins
Jake Bird, Colorado Rockies
Kyle Finnegan, Washington Nationals
Hunter Gaddis, Cade Smith, Cleveland Guardians
Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
