Just when the Seattle Mariners thought that they were about to drop the mic on the trade deadline, the Philadelphia Phillies came in and stole the show. Quite literally.

In a last-minute shakeup, the Phillies ended up with one of the most electric arms in baseball—none other than Minnesota Twins closer Jhoan Duran. This $4 million move was huge because Duran has immense gas and boasts a 2.01 ERA. He was undoubtedly the crown jewel of the relief market, and the Phillies had to go big for this.

The Phillies had to ship off two of their most prized prospects, Eduardo Tait and Mick Abel. But look what they got in return, too—a guy who can seal the October door. But here is the kicker—this deal was supposed to be in Seattle’s hands.

According to FanSided’s MLB reporter, Robert Murray, the Seattle Mariners are that close to getting Duran. “They almost got Jhoan Duran,” Murray revealed. “I actually thought he was going to Seattle at one point.” And he was not alone in this assessment. Mariners reporter Adam Jude also confirmed that the front office thought that they had put out a strong package. Even more than the Phillies, but it fell short sadly.

Jude mentioned, “They felt like their offer was better.” They even suggested it was comparable to the one that they had made for Luis Castillo back in the year 2022. However, something changed, and maybe it was the Twins’ preferred Philly prospects. Or maybe they wanted Duran out of the AL, or maybe Phillies president Dave Dombrowski was doing what he does best—putting out a masterclass of how to deal with the trade deadline. 

For the Seattle Mariners, though, it is a tough pill to swallow, as their bullpen was already sad with Trent Thornton dealing with an Achilles injury. They could have used Duran’s firepower, and that was why they were probably after him. They made smart moves, too, like bringing in Josh Naylor, Eugenio Suárez, and reliever Caleb Ferguson. No doubt, some of these names were on several teams’ top lists, but missing out on Duran leaves a gap in their postseason plan. And they might be regretting not putting out a better offer, because Duran has been lights out from the moment he stepped into the Phillies.

Jhoan Duran breaks record in just two outings with the Philadelphia Phillies

It just took two appearances for Jhoan Duran to announce his presence in Philadelphia officially. And he did it with such a bang. In only his second game as a Phillie, he shattered Citizens Bank Park history. No kidding. During the ninth inning of a 2-0 win over the Detroit Tigers, Duran managed a 103.3 mph fastball to Riley Greene.

That pitch was the fastest ever recorded in that stadium since pitch tracking began. And as if that was not all, he followed it up with a 102.5 mph pitch to finish the game and locked in a strikeout and a second record, too. The record of the fastest game-ending K in Philadelphia Phillies history since 2008. If you talk about making an entrance, this was a masterclass by Duran. Rob Thomson was extremely proud after and said what fans knew—this guy’s the real deal.

Sure, the Phillies had to let go of top prospects, but look at the return. The 26-year-old now has a 1.93 ERA and 54 strikeouts in just over 51 innings this season. Plus, it’s not only his fastball that’s winning over his fans; even his personality is. His signature entrance with booming speakers playing “El Incomprendido” by Farruko, Pitbull, and Daddy Yankee is now a vibe at Citizens Bank Park. During his hot debut, fans lit up the stands with their cellphone flashlights and echoed that atmosphere. It was like he was not a closer but a showstopper.

Duran for the Phillies is not a late-inning arsenal but a game-changer. This is just seemingly the beginning. If just two stars can do this, the rest have to be careful because what else is left?