Before the Twins traded Jhoan Durán to the Philadelphia Phillies ahead of the July 31 Trade Deadline, it was reported by multiple sources that Minnesota would have to be absolutely blown away by an offer to part ways with its star closer. In exchange for Durán, who was carted off the field on Friday night after getting hit near his right foot/ankle with a 94.1 mph line drive, the Twins received right-handed starting pitcher Mick Abel and catcher Eduardo Tait, who is ranked as MLB's No. 54 prospect per MLB Pipeline.
While Abel has the potential to become a mainstay in the Twins' rotation, and Tait, who is only 18 years old, has substantial upside, many were disappointed with Minnesota's return for Durán, who has a 1.86 ERA with 56 strikeouts over 53 1/3 innings this season. Instead of receiving Abel, the Twins likely wish they could have received MLB's No. 10 ranked prospect along with Tait.
Twins wish they could have received MLB's No. 10 prospect Andrew Painter in Jhoan Durán trade
It's hard to imagine that Twins president Derek Falvey didn't at least try to pry Painter away from the Phillies in the Durán deal, but Phillies president Dave Dombrowski said on NBCSPhilly that he told Minnesota and other teams that Painter is untouchable.
It's unfortunate the Twins couldn't convince Dombrowski otherwise, as Painter, 22, has much more potential to be a star than Abel. Painter, who has excellent command of the strike zone, has a fastball that rises in the zone, averages 97 mph and can touch 100 mph. He also throws a hard slider in the upper-80s, a low-80s curveball he throws for strikes, and an above-average changeup.
Painter has struggled for the first time in his professional career with Triple-A Leigh Valley this season, sporting a 5.42 ERA with 77 strikeouts and 31 walks in 76 1/3 innings across 16 starts. However, he was sidelined for the 2023 and 2024 seasons after receiving Tommy John Surgery, which likely impacted his ability to pitch at a high level this season. He still has an elite pitch mix and posted formidable numbers in the Phillies' organization in 2022. The Twins would be in a much better spot with their 2026 starting rotation if they were somehow able to acquire Painter.