The Philadelphia Phillies made a fateful decision involving their 103 mph closer, creating immediate questions about bullpen roles and strategy. The team placed Jhoan Duran on the 15-day injured list Saturday with a left oblique strain, the Phillies announced. The move figures to sideline the hardest-throwing pitcher in baseball for at least a month and leaves struggling Philadelphia now facing an immediate bullpen decision.
The IL designation was made retroactive to April 15, according to a report by Mark Polishuk of MLB Trade Rumors. Duran had not taken the mound since last Saturday, and while the Phillies went 1-4 in that stretch, the team had given no public indication that their fireballing closer was injured. The oblique strain tells a different story, and its severity will determine whether Philadelphia loses him for a month or considerably longer. And with no clear replacement, the Phillies may be forced to rethink their entire late-game approach.
Duran, who signed a one-year, $7.5 million deal with the Phillies in January, had been the team’s one consistent performer out of the bullpen in an otherwise rocky start to 2026. In six and two-thirds innings over his first five appearances, he went a perfect five-for-five in save opportunities, posted a 1.35 ERA, and did not issue a single walk, according to MLB.com statistics. The Phillies, sitting at 8-11, can ill afford to be without him.
Oblique Injuries Have Sidelined Duran Before
This is not Duran’s first oblique strain, which makes the timeline both informative and concerning. In spring 2024, while still with the Minnesota Twins, he was placed on the IL on March 28 with a moderate right oblique strain. That absence ran more than a month. He was not reinstated until April 30. The current strain affects his left oblique, but oblique injuries in power pitchers typically carry a four-to-eight-week recovery window, particularly when the injury involves core mechanics essential to generating triple-digit velocity.
Given that the IL designation was retroactive to April 15, the earliest possible return date under the 15-day minimum is April 30. A more conservative timeline could push it well into May or even June.
Along with Duran’s placement on the IL, the Phillies called up right-hander Seth Johnson and utilityman Felix Reyes from Triple-A, with Reyes’ contract selected to the 40-man roster for the first time, Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. Utilityman Otto Kemp was optioned to Triple-A, and outfielder Pedro Leon was released.
Who Closes for Philadelphia With Duran Out?
The question with no clean answer right now: who will now close games for the Phillies? Duran is not only the team’s closer, he is one of the most physically imposing relief pitchers in MLB. His four-seamer has averaged 102 mph over a full season, and in 2023, MLB.com documented that it was the fastest in baseball, reaching 104.6 mph. Even this April, opposing hitters have been watching 103 mph fastballs on the outside corner. He also deploys what he calls the “splinker.” That is a sinker-splitter hybrid that generates exceptional ground-ball rates, making Duran among the most difficult pitchers to replace.
Philadelphia has no obvious candidate to step into the ninth inning. The Phillies acquired Duran last July 30 by surrendering catching prospect Eduardo Tait and pitcher Mick Abel to Minnesota, according to an MLB.com report. He dominated the rest of the way in 2025 and was brought back on the one-year deal to anchor a postseason push. Right now, the only question that matters is how quickly a left oblique can heal.
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