The Philadelphia Phillies are looking to win the World Series in 2026, more so than ever, with their aging core and multiple players hitting the open market after 2027.
Jhoan Duran, the closer they acquired at the trade deadline from the Minnesota Twins, is one of those 2027 free agents. Getting the most out of him now is a must.
And fortunately for the Phillies, as MLB.com’s David Adler shared, Duran should be nastier than ever for the Phillies. He’s added a new pitch, one that has 34 inches of drop to completely fool hitters this year.
Jhoan Duran adds pitch that drops 34 inches on average
Adler shared how Duran, who was the “pioneer of the ‘splinker,'” has added a new pitch to his mix in the form of a splut-change.
“The new split-change (classified as a splitter) averages about 89 mph with 34 inches of drop and 13 inches of run,” Adler writes.
With Duran having a fastball that can reach over 100 mph, and a sinker-splitter hybrid that averages 97 mph, this new 89 mph split-change should be a huge weapon for the Phillies’ righty closer.
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Hitters can’t solely rely on fast pitching from Duran; they will have to adjust to offspeed pitches against the Phillies righty more than ever.
While his start to the season hasn’t been perfect, his 2.45 ERA with six strikeouts, a 1-1 record, and two saves is a good start as Duran warms up for the heart of the regular season.
Duran looks as good as ever, and if this new pitch can continue to develop and become a weapon, Philadelphia’s closer might be able to overtake Mason Miller as the best closer in baseball.
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