Overview

• The Mets declined to meet Minnesota’s price of two well-regarded prospects for Jhoan Durán, with reporting indicating they were unwilling to include rising right-hander Jonah Tong.
• The Twins dealt Durán to the Phillies, who also landed Harrison Bader, and both have excelled in Philadelphia to deepen the contrast with New York’s returns.
• Durán has posted a 1.53 ERA with 15 saves for the Phillies, while Bader is batting .331 with an .889 OPS, including dominant numbers in head-to-head games against the Mets.
• New York’s deadline additions have underperformed, with Ryan Helsley logging a 9.00 ERA in 16 innings and Cedric Mullins disappointing, though Tyler Rogers and Gregory Soto have been serviceable.
• The Mets’ bullpen woes have fueled an eight-game skid this month with 24 of 47 runs allowed in the late innings, even as Tong has emerged with four starts since late August and a latest outing of five scoreless frames with eight strikeouts.