Trade deadline grades roundup: Phillies get high marks for Duran and Bader deals

As the MLB trade deadline passed Thursday, the Phillies made their final move for Tigers pitcher Matt Manning. But the other players the team acquired — closer Jhoan Duran and outfielder Harrison Bader from the Twins — made more headlines. Let’s look at some grades, starting with outlets that evaluated them individually …

ESPN | Duran: A

ESPN loves this trade. Duran is a closer — and he notched his first save Friday night in his Phillies debut. More importantly, perhaps, is that he has two more years of team control after this season, so he isn’t going anywhere.

What they’re saying: “Duran might end up as the most valuable reliever dealt at the deadline, trumping the New York Mets' deal earlier in the day for Tyler Rogers … Even if the "most valuable traded reliever" title is up for debate, Duran will definitely be in the mix.”

ESPN | Bader: B-

ESPN appreciates that Bader plays left and center field, and that he hits right-handed. The outlet thinks his production might drop, but graded the Twins a C, so they must like Bader with the Phillies more.

What they’re saying: “He has always been better in a part-time role, so while he might get the opportunity to play on a regular basis, it's possible Bader ends up back in a platoon role ... Still, with a limited number of right-handed bats available, Bader is a nice get for Dave Dombrowski and a clear upgrade over Rojas.”

Sports Illustrated | Duran: A-

Duran, who was having a great season before the trade, will likely be the closer for the Phillies beyond 2025. And Sports Illustrated believes it was a good trade — although the Twins made it out with some great talent as well. 

What they’re saying: “The price was steep, but Philadelphia managed to hold onto prized pitching prospect [Andrew] Painter. Duran is electric, with a flamethrower of an arm and a pristine 2.01 ERA with 16 saves on the year ... the Phillies now have themselves a closer for the present, and for the future.”

Sports Illustrated | Bader: A

Sports Illustrated thinks the Phillies fixed a large problem by acquiring Bader to fill the team's hole in the outfield. Calling him one of the biggest outfield bats was a testament to the deal, although they lost two prospects.

What they’re saying: “The fit between Bader and Philadelphia was an obvious one when it became apparent that the Twins were selling, and this seems like a tailor-made fit for both parties as the Phillies pursue a World Series.”

USA Today | Duran: A

USA Today thinks that the Phillies got the better end of the stick — by a long shot, giving them an A and the Twins a C-.

What they’re saying: “It's a huge addition for the Phillies, with Duran presumably assuming the ninth-inning role and taking a ton of pressure off the club's other high-leverage guys. Philadelphia has the 27-year-old flamethrower under team control through 2027.”

USA Today | Bader: A-

Both sides of this deal seem decent in USA Today’s eyes, but Philly didn’t have to give up much to shore up one of their biggest weaknesses.

What they’re saying: “Philadelphia gives up basically nothing to get one of the game's better defensive center fielders, who should provide some pop for an outfield that desperately needs some.”

So far, the individual grades have looked pretty good for the Phillies. Now, we'll move on to overall grades. Spoiler alert: The Phillies did pretty well there, too. And they needed to, to hold on to the NL East's top spot after the division-rival Mets loaded up themselves.

CBS Sports: B+

Although they graded the Mets slightly higher, CBS Sports had no qualms with the Phillies’ moves.

What they’re saying: “The Phillies did their part to keep the race against the Mets in the headlines. The big move was the addition of lockdown closer Jhoan Duran from the torn-down Twins. As well, the Phillies addressed their own center field issues by adding Harrison Bader in a deal with those very same Twins.”

The Athletic: A-

The Athletic’s Jim Bowden thinks Duran was the best available closer and Bader is an above-average defensive outfielder. He wanted a better right-hand bat for the Phillies, but knows the price for Luis Robert got too high.

What they’re saying: “Getting a high-leverage reliever addressed their biggest need. However, they were forced to part with two top prospects, Mick Abel and Eduardo Tait, due to the competitive market. The Phillies also improved their bullpen depth and experience by signing free-agent reliever Dave Robertson.” — Jim Bowden

Yahoo! Sports: B

Yahoo! Sports’ Jake Mintz was one of most critical voices on the Phillies’ trades. He said the front office deserves credit for adding Duran, but that the bullpen should have been addressed in the offseason.

What they’re saying: “The Duran move helps the Phillies now and for the next few seasons, as he’s under control through 2027. Bader is a fine addition, though a more impactful bat would’ve been nice.” — Jake Mintz