Phillies

Jhoan Duran is Dominating as Phillies Continue to String Together Wins

By Luke Arcaini

Published: Jun 9th, 2026 · 9:56 AM EDT

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44 days ago, the Phillies were 9-19 and had the worst run differential in all of baseball.

Since then, a lot has changed.

They’re 36-30, with a winning record at both home (19-17) and on the road (17-13). They’re 7-3 in their last 10 games, have won 10 of their last 13, and have scored 31 runs over their last five.

But the stat that sticks out the most, 66 games into the season: The Phillies are 31-0 when leading after the 8th inning.

Dave Dombrowski went into the 2025 trade deadline needing a true bullpen threat. He acquired one when he traded Eduardo Tait and Mick Abel to a bad Twins team for Jhoan Duran.

Since Duran’s arrival, he holds a 1.70 ERA in 45 games. He has 32 saves in those 45 appearances. He is perfect to start the 2026 season, becoming only the 5th Phillies reliever in franchise history to start off a season 16 for 16 in save opportunities.

Hitters are batting just .130 against Duran in save situations this season. What worked for Duran in 2025 is working for him once again this season, although there are a few differences to point out.

Duran hasn’t thrown his knuckle curve at the same clip as last year. It’s still a dominating pitch, as hitters are hitting just .200 against it. But he’s throwing it at a 10% clip in 2026, compared to 19.2% in 2025. Part of the reason for the drop is the increase in sweeper usage, up 5% from last year, but also the changeup that Duran added this past offseason, which is getting thrown 8.5% of the time.

The biggest noticeable change, for Duran, is the four-seam fastball. It’s been absolutely lethal in 2026, as opponents are hitting just .100 against it, with a .100 slugging percentage and a 40.8% whiff rate. While the velocity is still around the same as the last two years, there has been nearly a 1-point jump in horizontal movement. It’s giving hitters trouble like Duran has never seen before.

But through it all, everything falls back on the splitter for the big righty. Duran is throwing it more than ever, at a 43.5% clip, and for good reason. While hitters are hitting .273 against it, it’s been an eye-opening put away pitch, at nearly 53% in 2026.

Since the day Rob Thomson was fired, the Phillies have the best record in baseball. With that has come a lot of one-run games and save situations. Duran has been absolutely lights out across those 44 days.

He’s surrendered just two earned runs over that time, striking out 25 batters to 5 walks since May 5th, the day he returned from the IL. Since May 23rd, Duran has allowed just three hits in nine appearances, no runs, and 11 strikeouts.

“I like to throw as many times as I can,” Jhoan Duran said following the Phillies’ 5-2 win over the Blue Jays on Monday night. “If I could pitch every day, I would do it. I like to be in the game every single day.“

Duran has walked five batters this season. Just two of those walks have come across his 16 save opportunities. The Phillies are playing an 8-inning baseball game right now, and if Duran is up, they feel pretty good about where they’re at heading into the 9th inning.

It took a little bit to get to the surface, but the Phillies bullpen looks as good as we predicted coming into this season. Jose Alvarado has hit his stride after a rough start to the year. Brad Keller, while not every outing has been perfect, along with a little bit of stress, has gotten some huge outs as the setup man. Orion Kerkering has looked great. Jonathan Bowlan and Tim Mayza have produced.

But nobody has been as good as Jhoan Duran, the Phillies’ lockdown 9th inning flamethrower. It feels like the Phillies are in that “they just find ways to win” mode right now, and a lot of that has to do with Duran, who could be pitching at Citizens Bank Park on July 14th for the MLB All-Star Game.

Brandon Marsh was asked over the weekend what he would do if he had to face Jhoan Duran in the 9th inning right now:

“Probably walk back to the dugout.”