Two Days, Two Deals Between the Phillies and Twins
Harrison Bader has officially been traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. Not even 24 hours after Minnesota sent closer Jhoan Durán to Philadelphia for a prospect package, they’ve now sent his outfield teammate Bader as well. In return for Bader, the Twins received two minor leaguers: outfielder Hendry Mendez and pitcher Geremy Villoria. Philadelphia is in win-now mode at 61-47 and just half a game behind the Mets for the division lead in the National League East. The Twins, heading the opposite direction at 51-57, made perfect trade partners for the second day in a row. The Phillies needed an upgrade in the outfield, and the 31-year-old Bader fit perfectly. Able to play in left or right field, Bader will pair well with another former Twin, Max Kepler, in Philadelphia’s outfield. Bader is having an excellent season at the plate as well, hitting .258 with 12 home runs and a .439 slugging percentage. A loss that the Twins will feel finishing out the season, but they didn’t leave this trade empty-handed.
The main piece the Twins are getting back is Mendez. Mendez was ranked as the number 12 prospect in the Phillies' farm system. In 2025, he’s batting .290 with an .808 OPS at the Double-A level. He’s also knocked eight home runs and 13 doubles while just 21 years old. Villoria, meanwhile, is a 16-year-old pitcher currently pitching in the Dominican Summer League. He has a 4.50 ERA in five games started. It will be a long time before he makes an impact at the Major League level for the Twins if he isn’t traded again before then. A lovely piece to take a flyer on and add depth to the farm system for Minnesota either way.
The Twins are clear-cut sellers at the 2025 deadline and waving the white flag on this season. If the Twins can get nice value out of future trades like they have with Bader, Minnesota may be amassing a very dangerous farm system that can push them forward in the years to come. There's no question that the Twins will take a step backward in August and September. Sometimes a team needs to take one step back to take three steps forward.
