Phillies Face Jhoan Duran Decision After Nine Straight Road Losses to New York Mets

Duran has been giving up an unusual amount of hard contact lately and now it’s finally beginning to cost the team games. The closer is also renowned for his unique introduction when entering closing situations, which includes a brilliant visual display and a mesmerizing red light show casting an ominous mist over the stadium.

Phillies fans are known to be a rowdy bunch, so if Duran continues to blow saves at the rate he currently is, he could earn himself a few hecklers during his entrance. Their feelings will only be amplified by the fact that the team has another experienced closer on the roster.

Who Should be Closing Games?

Rob Thomson had an impossibly perfect start to his tenure as the Phillies’ manager, seemingly pressing all the right buttons at precisely the perfect moment.

But he’s had a challenging time recapturing that magic since his infamous decision to remove the team’s ace, Zack Wheeler, early in the decisive game six of the 2022 World Series, which would prove to be a costly mistake.

As traditional as he is, Thomson has shown his analytical aptitude frequently, being a big believer in taking advantage of matchups. He has a tendency to choose his closer depending on how many right-handed or left-handed batters there will be in the inning, but it’s time to make a firm decision.

Relief pitcher Jose Alvarado has had a decent amount of closing experience, blowing just three saves compared to 20 converted over the last two seasons. He’s just getting back after a suspension that took him out for about half the season, but he might be thrown into the closer role again if things continue down their current path.

With Wheeler down for the season, the Phillies will need the rest of the pitchers on the roster to step up. If Duran continues to struggle, then the calls for Alvarado to replace him as the closer will start piling up and the fanbase could turn hostile against their new reliever quick.