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The Twins' Jhoan Duran Trade Haul Went Off on Tuesday Night

Mick Abel carved up the Red Sox at Target Field, while Eduardo Tait had a huge night at the plate down in High-A.
Will Ragatz|
Apr 14, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Mick Abel (20) delivers a pitch against the Boston Red Sox in the first inning at Target Field.
Apr 14, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Mick Abel (20) delivers a pitch against the Boston Red Sox in the first inning at Target Field. | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

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Jhoan Duran is an incredible reliever, one of the very best in the game. He had a 2.47 ERA in parts of four seasons with the Twins, plus a 0.00 ERA in four games in their 2023 postseason breakthrough. He has a triple-digit fastball and an electric ninth-inning entrance sequence. Since being dealt to the Phillies at last year's trade deadline, Duran has been even better, posting a 1.98 ERA with 21 saves, 35 strikeouts, and just a single walk in his first 30 appearances with Philadelphia.

And yet, if the Twins were offered a do-over on that trade, they'd make the deal again every single time, likely without any kind of hesitation. Duran was a great pickup for a big-budget contender like the Phillies. The two players the Twins got in return have a chance to be a massive part of their future, which is important for a team whose owners are choosing not to spend money like they could.

Tuesday night offered another reminder of the upside of the Twins' Duran haul. Mick Abel pitched perhaps the best game of his career at Target Field, dominating the Red Sox over seven scoreless innings in another Minnesota win. Meanwhile, down at High-A Cedar Rapids, 19-year-old catcher Eduardo Tait blasted a pair of home runs.

Abel alone may be on his way to helping Twins fans forget about Duran. After struggling in his first two appearances this season (one of which came in relief, the other of which came in bad weather), Abel has looked like he did in spring training over his last two outings. He followed up his six scoreless innings against the Tigers last week with seven brilliant innings on Tuesday, striking out a career-high 10 Boston batters while allowing just four singles and no walks.

Only one Red Sox batter reached second base in seven innings against Abel, who retired the leadoff hitter in every frame. He generated 15 swings and misses, including seven on his mid-90s fastball. He also earned 20 called strikes on his 90 pitches. Abel had everything working and was in complete control. It was an outstanding performance from a 24-year-old with immense long-term upside.

The wild thing to think about is that Abel wasn't even the premier piece the Twins got back for Duran. That would be Tait, the teenage catcher phenom who ranks as the No. 3 prospect in their organization and a top-60 prospect in all of baseball. Tait is a ways away from the big leagues, but his powerful bat and strong arm give him a chance to be special.

The bat was on full display on Tuesday, as he crushed his first two homers of the season for the Kernels. One went out to left-center and one went to his pull side. Tait now has a .972 OPS through the first nine games of the season for Cedar Rapids.

Buxton, Lee stay hot

The other star of the show for the Twins in their 6-0 win on Tuesday was Buxton. One night after hitting his first home run of the season and becoming the all-time homer leader at Target Field, Buxton delivered two long blasts in a four-hit night. His cold start to 2026 appears to be over.

Buxton singled and scored in the first inning, then lofted a Sonny Gray curveball into the second deck in the third. He singled and scored again in a three-run fourth inning and absolutely demolished a below-the-zone curveball from Boston's Jack Anderson in the sixth. Buxton's second homer of the game went 438 feet and hit the facing of the second deck in left-center.

The Twins' fourth inning included a solo shot to right field from Brooks Lee and a two-run knock from Trevor Larnach. Lee got off to a brutal start to the season but is now riding a six-game RBI streak. He's gone 7 for 20 with three homers and 8 RBI during the streak.

The Twins will go for the sweep at 12:40 p.m. CT on Wednesday.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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