The New York Yankees should already be targeting a trade for this pitcher to fix a glaring issue.
The New York Yankees' bullpen cost them another game on Sunday, with David Bednar surrendering a walkoff home run to Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang.
It resulted in the Yankees getting swept by the Brewers, as New York was hit with a sudden reality check after a scorching stretch in which it won 16 of 19 games.
While it's a long season and these types of skids happen to everyone, the Yankees' relief staff is a growing problem that simply cannot be ignored.
It's not that Bednar has been terrible this year. He has been the victim of plenty of bad luck, and Turang's solo shot was actually the first long ball Bednar had allowed in 2026. But it's very clear that Bednar is not a lockdown closer.
Neither are any of the other arms in New York's bullpen. Camilo Doval owns a 6.14 ERA, Fernando Cruz is like Jekyll and Hyde with his control and Jake Bird has been a roller coaster ever since arriving at the trade deadline last summer.
The Yankees absolutely need to go out and acquire at least one other reliever before this year's deadline, and one name could be emerging as a potential candidate: Philadelphia Phillies closer Jhoan Duran.
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jhoan Duran. Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images.Duran has pitched to the tune of a 1.86 ERA thus far this season, allowing seven hits while racking up 14 strikeouts over 9.2 innings of work. He owns a lifetime 2.42 ERA since entering the big leagues with the Minnesota Twins in 2022, and his 11.3 K/9 rate — as well as his 4.24 strikeout-to-walk ratio — is very impressive.
So, why would the Phillies move Duran?
Well, Philadelphia has been one of the most disappointing teams in all of baseball this year, and while it has played better since Don Mattingly replaced Rob Thomson as manager, the Phillies are still below .500.
That could obviously change between now and Aug. 3, but the Atlanta Braves seem to be running away with the NL East, meaning Philadelphia will have to try and contend for a Wild Card spot. To be quite frank, the Phillies might not even be good enough to do that.
Duran is under team control through 2027, so the time may be now for Philadelphia to cash in on his value, which is certainly high.
Would the Yankees be willing to pay the price required to swipe Duran? Possibly, depending on how dire Brian Cashman feels New York's bullpen situation really is.
The trade deadline is just under three months away, but the Yanks might not have that much time. They cannot afford to continue allowing their bullpen to give away games. It happened twice against Milwaukee, and it has been a recurring issue since last year.
Duran won't be the only option available for the Yankees, but he may very well be the cream of the crop.
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