Phillies blockbuster fixes the bullpen without lighting the future on fire

The Philadelphia Phillies' trade deadline priorities couldn't be much clearer. There is room to improve the infield, but Dave Dombrowski needs to focus the majority of his resources on upgrading the bullpen and the outfield, in that order. Philly's lineup needs a bit more pop, but Philly especially needs more than two dependable relievers once the postseason rolls around.

Orion Kerkering has acquitted himself well in the closer role and Matt Strahm is dependable as a setup man, but the Jordan Romano signing — Dombrowski's grand offseason gesture to Philly's bullpen woes — has aged like milk on a hot day. With José Alvarado ineligible for the playoffs after an untimely PED suspension, the Phillies' bullpen is preciously short on high-leverage arms.

Of all the potential trade partners, none stand out more than the Minnesota Twins, who employ two of the very best late-relief arms in MLB in Jhoan Durán and Griffin Jax. Both are under team control through 2027 with elite metrics and increasingly strong track records. Minnesota is asking a high price, though.

If the Twins want two top-10 prospects a piece for Durán and Jax, most contenders will balk. The Phillies are equipped with a deep farm system and a win-now mentality, however, so there's reason to think the notoriously ambitious Dombrowski might pull a rabbit out of his hat.

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This Phillies-Twins trade delivers Jhoan Durán and Griffin Jax to Philadelphia

This does not quite satisfy Minnesota's demand for two top-10 prospects each, but I'm not sure the Twins can earnestly expect better than a trio of top-six prospects, all of whom crack MLB Pipeline's overall top 100.

For Philadelphia, the root of the appeal is simple. Two controllable bullpen aces who can anchor their late-relief efforts for the next couple of years at least. Durán instantly becomes their shutout closer; Jax might be the very best setup man working today. This eases pressure on Kerkering and Strahm and gives the Phillies four excellent options to cycle through in high-stakes situations.

For Minnesota, what a haul. Eduardo Tait removes all questions about the Twins' future at catcher. It's difficult to find backstops who can hit and defend behind home plate. Tait has some learning to do on the defensive front, but he's a talented lefty bat who can spray hard-hit balls all over the diamond. He's only 18, so Minnesota needs to wait, but Tait would sit near the top of the Twins farm system for years.

Aroon Escobar, 20, has earned nothing but rave reviews in High-A, challenging Aidan Miller for the title of most promising infielder in the Phillies' program. He will need to put some injury concerns behind him, but Escobar sees the ball well and generates contact at a high rate. He forces a lot of walks and does not strike out much. If he can elevate and extend through pitches more as he grows, the Twins will have a long-time contributor.

Mick Abel, 23, is the best-known of Minnesota's hypothetical return package. He made five MLB starts this season and is due back on the big-league stage sooner than later. Abel's command wavered after a couple brilliant starts out of the gate, but he's a potential All-Star rotation cog in a few years. That is a bet worth taking for a couple relievers.

Phillies need to toe the line between aggression and pragmatism

Dombrowski's lack of aggression in recent years has baffled and frustrated Phillies fans in equal measure. He built his reputation on big swings, but has spent the last couple years with an eye on the future. Philadelphia has a lot of aging stars and a lot of money coming off the books this winter. Trying to build sustainably around Bryce Harper and Trea Turner is a sensible strategy.

That said, most Phillies fans would welcome a move like this. Durán and Jax meaningfully improve the Phils' postseason odds. It's important to be careful, though. Giving up too much threatens to severely undermine Philadelphia's future. This trade allows the Phillies to still keep three top-100 prospects in Andrew Painter, Aidan Miller and Justin Crawford, but a lot of folks would tell you Tait and Escobar are better long-term bets than the more established Miller and Crawford. Painter is electric, but he's not quite as far along as experts predicted he would be. He might not crack the MLB rotation until 2026.

Philly can and should give up a lot if Durán and Jax are on the table. Dombrowski just needs to make sure it's not too much. Anything more than the package outlined above is pushing it.