May 03, 2026
Nathan Ray Seebeck/Imagn Images
Jhoan Duran touched triple digits in a recent bullpen session and could return without a rehab assignment.
There has been improvement for the Phillies offensively and with the starting. pitching since Don Mattingly took over as manager last Tuesday for the fired Rob Thomson.
The bullpen has still been inconsistent, but the Phillies have dealt with injuries there all season. They're apparently pretty close to getting a major piece back.
Per Phillies Insider Todd Zolecki of MLB.com, closer Jhoan Duran, who's been out since April 11 because of an oblique strain, scorched the radar gun in his bullpen session Saturday before the Phillies' game against the Marlins in Miami, a 4-0 loss that marked the first of the Mattingly era.
Zolecki reported that the flame-thrower touched 100 miles per hour during the session, causing Mattingly to consider having Duran return without doing a rehab assignment.
In his dugout chat with reporters before Sunday's 7-4 win over the Marlins, Mattingly said Duran intentionally ramped up his intensity to gauge how close he is to returning, per this video from OnPattison's Tim Kelly.
Asked if Duran would need a rehab assignment first, Mattingly joked to the reporter, "Well, could you hit him at 100?" drawing laughs from the manager and surrounding media.
"It's something we'll talk about," he added.
See the entire exchange here:
Don Mattingly gives the latest update on Jhoan Duran, who is working his way back from a left oblique injury.
— OnPattison (@OnPattison) May 3, 2026
(Via @TimKellySports) pic.twitter.com/djWH3C2Zuj
Prior to his injury, Duran was one of the bullpen's lone bright spots. He was 1-1 with a 1.35 ERA with eight strikeouts in 6.2 innings. After he went down, the struggling Phillies fell apart even more and fell 10 games under .500, leading to Thomson's firing.
The Phillies' bullpen ERA of 4.28 ranks 17th and it's 1.40 WHIP ranks 20th. Opponents are batting .264 against Phils relievers, third third-worst in MLB for a bullpen.
The Phillies have had just one conventional save opportunity since Duran was shelved; Brad Keller got it against the Marlins on Friday night in a 6-5 win but he allowed a run and has an ERA above 4.50.
Sunday's win over the Marlins was the team's fifth in its six games since Mattingly was named manger for the rest of this season. Getting Duran back could only be another step in the Phillies' turnaround.
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