Phillies targeting 2 relievers from AL Central for huge bullpen trade

Billy Heyen

Phillies targeting 2 relievers from AL Central for huge bullpen trade image

The Philadelphia Phillies need help in their bullpen.

That's been true all year, but even more so since an 80-game suspension was handed down to Jose Alvarado.

With the trade deadline approaching, they'll have a chance to make moves.

According to USA Today's Bob Nightengale, the Phillies are watching two Minnesota Twins relievers, Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax.

Jax has great stuff but has had a few rough outings this year. His ERA is 4.02. 

The stuff shows up in the strikeout numbers. Jax has 65 punchouts in 40.1 innings.

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Duran throws in the low-100s and has 47 strikeouts in 42.1 innings. He has converted 15 of 17 save opportunities. He has a 1.49 ERA.

The Phillies certainly aren't the only team interested in these two talented Twins relievers. It's also not obvious that they'd want both. More likely, Philadelphia would try to wind up with one and another team might take the other.

But if Philly doesn't come away with a bullpen upgrade before the deadline, it'll be a bad sign.

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Billy Heyen

Billy Heyen is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who has written about many sports and fantasy sports for The Sporting News. Sports reporting work has also appeared in a number of newspapers, including the Sandusky Register and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle