At the MLB trade deadline, the Philadelphia Phillies swung two trades, one for Jhoan Duran the day before the deadline, and then for Harrison Bader on deadline day. Both were acquired from the Minnesota Twins amid the Twins' massive fire sale.
Since coming to Philadelphia, Duran and Bader have been incredible, helping the Phillies secure the NL East and putting them in a good position to make a run for the top seed in the NL and a first-round bye.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic shared a comment from Bader on his reaction to the Twins trading him and Duran to the Phillies. His comment was a brutal one, as he took a jab at the Twins, likening them to a cage in a strong five-word message.
Harrison Bader makes a brutal five-word comment on the Twins
"Another player the Twins traded," Rosenthal writes, "center fielder Harrison Bader, said he and Duran were 'let out of the cage' in Minnesota, and both made seamless transitions to the Phillies."
Bader essentially called the Twins organization a cage, and that since he and Duran were traded, they were freed from the cage. Minnesota conducted a massive fire sale at the deadline, trading away 10 players to various organizations across baseball.
This fire sale was conducted since the Pohlad family, which owns the team, is looking to cut costs. Such a scenario is a tough one for fans and players to deal with, especially for the cheap, young talent who are stuck with the team due to their years of control and cheap contracts.
Bader's jab at the Twins is a warranted one, as the fire sale the Twins conducted was a brutal one. Fortunately for the Phillies, they were massive beneficiaries of the Twins cleaning out their cage.
MORE: Phillies' Kyle Schwarber receives $35 million free agent prediction
Duran has been one of the best closers in baseball since coming to Philadelphia, as he has a 1.62 ERA in 19 appearances with the Phillies, including 14 saves, two blown saves, and two losses. He's been a huge upgrade over Jordan Romano and has been a revelation in the bullpen for the Phillies.
Meanwhile, Bader has emerged as one of the best hitters on the Phillies. Through 39 games with the team, Bader has a remarkable .338 batting average with a .917 OPS. He has four home runs, 15 RBIs, 10 doubles, and one triple in just 133 at-bats.
His production at the plate is matched by his elite defense in center field, further amplifying how great a pickup he's been for the Phillies. His 1.4 WAR is amazing, as it's more than the rest of the Phillies outfield combined.
Bader has been a huge get for the Phillies, and if it weren't for the Twins' fire sale this summer, the Phillies might not be in such great shape for the postseason.
After clinching the National League East against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Phillies are looking to secure a first-round bye and potentially the top seed in baseball. If they do, it'd be thanks in part to Bader and Duran, who were, in the words of Bader, "let out of the cage" in Minnesota at the trade deadline.
MORE MLB NEWS:
- Phillies get good news on potential Kyle Schwarber free agent market
- Cubs' legend shares insights on Pete Crow-Armstrong's performance and potential
- Guardians' Jose Ramirez on pace to join Hank Aaron in incredible MLB history
- Cardinals' outfielder's job may be in jeopardy if poor play continues
- Yankees' Aaron Judge responds to arm strength concerns after return to outfield