MLB trade deadline: Phillies make last-minute deal for pitcher after adding outfielder Harrison Bader; latest news and rumors
In addition to Bader, the Phillies acquired closer Jhoan Duran from the Twins prior to the MLB trade deadline.
The MLB trade deadline officially passed at 6 p.m.
The Phillies' big move of the day was acquiring outfielder Harrison Bader from the Minnesota Twins.
In exchange for Bader, the Phillies are giving up two prospects – double-A outfielder Hendry Mendez and 17-year-old Dominican Summer League right-hander Geremi Villoria.
The Phillies also added right-handed pitcher Matt Manning from the Detroit Tigers just before the deadline.
Those moves comes after the Phillies traded for Jhoan Duran, who will become the team's new closer, according to manager Rob Thomson.
Duran is expected to join the team Friday ahead of the Phillies three-game series against the Detroit Tigers.
Phillies land Twins outfielder Harrison Bader
In 2023, the Phillies looked into acquiring Harrison Bader at the trade deadline but elected to pass on him and other available outfielders.
Two years later, they came around.
With about five hours to spare before Thursday's 6 p.m. deadline, the Phillies traded for Bader from the Twins, a major-league source confirmed. It marked the second swap in as many days with Minnesota, following Wednesday night's blockbuster for closer Jhoan Duran.
Dombrowski says Bader is 'going to play a lot'
Phillies acquire pitcher Matt Manning from Tigers
Just under the wire, the Phillies made one last move, acquiring right-hander Matt Manning from the Detroit Tigers in exchange for minor leaguer Josueth Quiñonez.
Manning, 27, had been designated for assignment by the Tigers. The Phillies have optioned him to single-A Clearwater.
Manning made 50 starts for the Tigers between 2021 and 2024 and posted a 4.43 ERA at the major league level over that span. He has spent this season with Detroit’s triple-A affiliate, and had a 6.04 ERA over 50 2/3 innings, with 52 strikeouts.
The trade deadline has passed. Any more moves left?
The 2025 MLB trade deadline officially passed at 6 p.m. — but that doesn't mean there aren't more moves coming. Sometimes things trickle in after the deadline as teams submit the official trades to the league office.
If the Phillies don't have any more moves up their sleeves, their finish the deadline by adding a closer and some outfield help, which were their two biggest needs. But will it be enough?
Report: Padres continue to add, land Ryan O'Hearn and Ramon Laureano
Reports: Astros acquire Twins shortstop Carlos Correa
Reports: Mets acquire Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins
The backstory behind Jhoan Duran's electric entrance music
Will Jhoan Duran bring his electric entrance to Citizens Bank Park?
Rob Thomson said Wednesday he expects Duran to become the Phillies’ closer, a role they haven’t officially filled in several years. Without a true closer, the Phillies missed the wave on epic closer entrances, ushered in by Mets closer Edwin Diaz, and the now-omnipresent “Narco.”
But Duran and Orioles closer Felix Bautista are among the closers who have created iconic entrances of their own.
Reports: Padres acquiring Royals catcher Freddy Fermin
Reports: Yankees acquiring Pirates closer David Bednar
Reports: Dodgers acquire Twins reliever Brock Stewart
Report: Luis Robert Jr. 'likely' to remain in Chicago
Report: Phillies interested in Nationals outfielder Alex Call
As the hours tick down before the trade deadline, the Phillies reportedly have interest in landing Washington Nationals outfielder Alex Call, according to The Athletic's Matt Gelb.
Here's what columnist David Murphy wrote about Call this morning:
I feel like I’m the only one who keeps mentioning Call as a potential trade addition. All he’s done is post an .821 OPS while playing good defense over the last two seasons. Granted, we’re talking about 350 plate appearances. He isn’t even a poor man’s Steven Kwan. But he does play center field, and he would give the Phillies a lefty killer to pair with Brandon Marsh in center field and rotate in elsewhere as needed.
» READ MORE: Are the Phillies done after Jhoan Duran? Five guys they should still consider at the trade deadline
Reports: Tigers acquire Kyle Finnegan from the Nationals
7 outfielders that could be targets for the Phillies
A few of the available options in the outfield for the Phillies, listed alphabetically:
Harrison Bader, Twins
Willi Castro, Twins
Brendan Donovan, Cardinals
Steven Kwan, Guardians
Ramón Laureano, Orioles
Cedric Mullins, Orioles
Luis Robert Jr., White Sox
Kwan is the biggest name here. He’s also out of the Phillies’ reach as long as they hold firm on not trading top prospect Andrew Painter — “We’re just not moving him,” Dombrowski said Wednesday — and probably 21-year-old infielder Aidan Miller.
Donovan, a first-time All-Star this season, is interesting in that he can play multiple infield and outfield positions. But like Kwan, he has two more years of club control and would come at considerable cost in a trade. Such deals are more common in the offseason than at the deadline.
Can the Phillies acquire an outfielder who would have a bigger impact than Justin Crawford?
Nine years ago, when Dave Dombrowski ran the Red Sox’s baseball operations, he traded for a Twins reliever at the deadline, then called up his best outfield prospect from triple A the next day.
Is history about to repeat?
OK, so nobody would mistake star closer Jhoan Duran for middle-inning lefty Fernando Abad. But Justin Crawford sure does have a lot in common with Andrew Benintendi, perhaps even right down to their career trajectories.
New Phillies closer Jhoan Duran expected to join the team Friday
Bryce Harper is looking forward to welcoming new Phillies closer Jhoan Duran into the clubhouse on Friday.
“We needed bullpen help, and we got one of the best in baseball, so definitely a big reinforcement for us,” Harper said Wednesday night in Chicago after the trade was announced.
Some of the Phillies veterans are viewing the trade as a message to the team from Dave Dombrowski and the rest of the front office.
Reports: Padres land Athletics closer Mason Miller
With Guardians becoming sellers, is Steven Kwan in play for the Phillies?
The Cleveland Guardians are officially sellers at the trade deadline, sending Cy Young-winner Shane Bieber to the Toronto Blue Jays and veteran reliever Paul Sewald to the Detroit Tigers, according to multiple reports.
The Guardians are also "trying to move" Steven Kwan, according to MLB Network insider Mark Feinsand, with the Phillies potentially "in the mix" to land the 27-year-old outfielder, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal previously reported.
Here's what columnist David Murphy wrote about Kwan this morning:
Reports: Tigers land Paul Sewald from the Guardians
Reports: Blue Jays acquire Shane Bieber from the Guardians
Report: Padres also interested in landing Luis Robert Jr.
Report: Phillies talking to the Cardinals ahead of trade deadline
Phillies 'not done' after landing Jhoan Duran
Less than 24 hours before the trade deadline, the Phillies got their closer, agreeing on a deal for Jhoan Duran from the Twins on Wednesday evening.
The question now, with the deadline looming at 6 p.m. Thursday, is whether the Phillies can add a right-handed bat, preferably in the outfield. They have discussed a move for slugging Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suárez, but that would require moving someone to the outfield (Kyle Schwarber or Bryce Harper).
“Well, we’re not done,” Dave Dombrowski told reporters in Chicago Wednesday night. “I mean, we’re not done talking. The deadline’s not over. It’s very tough to acquire two [players] right now, so we have to just kind of see what happens [Thursday], really.”
» READ MORE: Phillies acquire closer Jhoan Duran from Twins: ‘He was the best guy out there’
Latest MLB trade deals include a potential Phillies target
Here are the trades that happened Wednesday night and overnight into Thursday, according to multiple reports:
The Mariners acquired third baseman Eugenio Suárez in a trade with the Diamondbacks. The Phillies were among the teams talking to Arizona about Suárez.
The Reds landed starting pitcher Zack Littell from the Rays in a three-team trade that also included the Dodgers.
The Red Sox acquired relief pitcher Steven Maltz from the Cardinals. In exchange, St. Louis got first baseman Blaze Jordan.
Five players the Phillies should still consider at the trade deadline
The Phillies have sent plenty of signals that they intend to be aggressive at this year’s trade deadline, realizing the opportunity they have with one of the best rotations in the big leagues and two all-world hitters in Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber.
In that sense, I’d be mildly surprised if Dave Dombrowski isn’t an active participant in the final hours leading up to Major League Baseball’s trade deadline at 6 p.m. on Thursday.
Here are five guys who have the potential to both move the needle and prove worthy of the price tag even if they don’t win headlines.
Reid Detmers, RP, Angels: The 26-year-old righty has always had a fastball to dream on. In his last 30 innings, Detmers has a 1.20 ERA with 42 strikeouts, 10 walks and just two home runs allowed. That’s right. He’s struck out more than a third of the 117 batters he’s faced.
Steven Kwan, OF, Guardians: His .289 batting average over the last two seasons with Cleveland comes with a respectable .418 slugging percentage. In the playoffs, Kwan is a remarkable 25-for-72 in 17 career games. That’s a .347 batting average, combined with a .413 on-base percentage. With 14 runs and four RBIs, he has “created” an average of one run per playoff game in his career.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr., OF, Diamondbacks: There isn’t much flashy about him, and he’s slashing just .247/.296/.404 this season. But his OPS is nearly 100 points higher on the road this season and he has always hit lefties well.
Alex Call, OF, Nationals: All he’s done is post an .821 OPS while playing good defense over the last two seasons. He would give the Phillies a lefty killer to pair with Marsh in center field and rotate in elsewhere as needed.
Ramón Laureano, OF, Orioles: Laureano figures to be at the top of a lot of team’s lists, given his .887 OPS and $6.5 million club option for next season.
» READ MORE: Are the Phillies done after Jhoan Duran? Five guys they should still consider at the trade deadline
Who the Phillies had to give up in Jhoan Duran trade
As expected, the cost to land former Minnesota Twins closer Jhoan Duran was steep.
As part of the trade, the Phillies gave up right-hander Mick Abel and teenage catching prospect Eduardo Tait.
“We felt this was a deal that we got a dominant closer for a tough price — two good players — but something that we thought makes sense," Dave Dombrowski told reporters Wednesday night.
What time is the MLB trade deadline?
The MLB trade deadline is Thursday, July 31 at 6 p.m.
Historically, the trade deadline always fell on July 31, but commissioner Rob Manfred is able to set the deadline any day between July 28 and Aug. 3, so it doesn't conflict with any games.
After the trade deadline expires, players on 40-man rosters can no longer be traded from club to club. Players can still be placed and claimed on outright waivers.