Injuries have always been part of baseball’s fabric, but what often separates a temporary setback from a career-altering blow is the timing of the response. And few examples capture that better than Dustin Pedroia’s. In 2017, the Red Sox second baseman took a slide from Manny Machado that left him with a damaged knee. Pedroia, as tough and competitive as they come, chose to grit through it rather than pursue aggressive treatment right away. The decision proved costly. What started as an injury he tried to manage turned into months of pain, a string of surgeries, and ultimately, the premature end of a career that once looked bound for Cooperstown. Something similar that happened on Friday night is raising eyebrows in Philadelphia.
Reportedly, during the Phillies’ 6-2 win over the Nationals, Jhoan Duran took a sharp comebacker off the outer part of his right ankle in the ninth inning. And what followed was an uneasy delay before the team examined him, a gap wide enough to spark questions about urgency and decision-making in the moment.
In a game where every inning matters and every player is vital, mishandling an injury—even briefly—can carry consequences that stretch far beyond the box score. “THEY WAITED SEVEN MINUTES FOR A CART TO PICK UP JHOAN DURAN, MY GOODNESS.” Codify Baseball shared the ridiculous time gap in treating Duran.
MLB, Baseball Herren, USA Chicago Cubs at Minnesota Twins Jul 9, 2025 Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Jhoan Duran 59 delivers a pitch against the Chicago Cubs in the ninth inning at Target Field. Minneapolis Target Field Minnesota USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJessexJohnsonx 20250709_aj5_ams_0237
Well, with a four-run cushion after four days of rest, Duran came in for the ninth and faced Paul DeJong, who ripped a sharp grounder back to the mound. The ball bounced off Duran’s ankle and rolled into foul territory for a single. Duran was clearly in pain, limping toward the foul line and struggling to put weight on his right foot. And after a long check from the trainers, he was taken off in the Nationals’ bullpen cart. But that long check is all that mattered.
Yes, X-rays came back negative, but he’ll still be evaluated further. If it had been more serious, though, the setback could’ve been devastating. Duran, picked up from the Twins at the trade deadline, has been lights-out since joining the Phillies. Four scoreless innings across five outings, converting all 5 save chances. On the season, he’s carrying a 1.86 ERA with 56 strikeouts in 53 1/3 innings. Hence, losing him now, right as the Phillies sit atop the division, would be a huge blow.
Even the fans are wondering what made the teams delay in such a critical moment to treat Duran!
Fans are calling out the Phillies for the blunder
But what made the delay in that critical moment? A few fans got some theories. “Just wondering if band equipment or stage pieces got in the way. There was a big concert scheduled for after the game… still no excuse…might be the first time this season that cart was used…. this embarrassment is a mirror of the horrible season the Nats are having… The Phillies are really good.” Well, there was also a concert scheduled after the game as part of the Nationals’ Postgame Summer Concert Series at Nationals Park.
That could explain why they set up some of the concert equipment along the foul line. That may have made it harder for the cart to get onto the field. Even if that’s the case, though, they must never compromise on emergency access.
Apart from the Phillies fans, the Twins fans are also ridiculing the management for mismanaging the critical moment. “What did those Phillies b——- do to our guy?!?!??” One Twins fan cannot believe how Duran got mismanaged by the Phillies. Well, Twins fans have always had a soft spot for Jhoan Duran thanks to everything he did for them.
For the unversed, he put up a 17–23 record with a 2.47 ERA, racked up 292 strikeouts, and collected 74 saves across 223 appearances with the Twins. So, it’s tough for them to watch a player of his caliber being handled the way he has been at the Phillies. Of course, it’s not intentional mismanagement. But the reality is clear—losing Duran now would be an incredibly costly blow for the Phillies.
“Second traded twins pitcher on the IL since the fire sale.” One fan shared an interesting stat about how the Twins pitchers are heading towards the IL. If you remember, before Duran, the Twins traded Brock Stewart to the Dodgers, who is now in the IL. And now, it’s the Phillies who got their Twins-traded closer to the IL. There are a few more on a different team.
MLB, Baseball Herren, USA Minnesota Twins at Los Angeles Dodgers Jul 22, 2025 Los Angeles, California, USA Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson 24 is pulled by manager Rocco Baldelli 5 after giving up a three-run home run to Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages 44 during the fourth inning at Dodger Stadium. Los Angeles Dodger Stadium California USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJaynexKamin-Onceax 20250722_jko_aj4_011
Apart from the Phillies, the Nationals are also at the receiving end of the fans. “Ever experienced a Nats rain delay? Waiting unnecessarily is what they do.” One fan said what the Nationals mean when it comes to delay. The Nationals have developed a bit of an infamous reputation when it comes to rain delays at Nationals Park.
Because of the stadium’s location and the way summer storms roll through D.C., delays have almost become part of the game-day experience. Fans often joke about packing extra patience with their tickets. And players know the interruptions can throw off rhythm and routines.
Still, one moment stood out for all the wrong reasons. “Do they not have a second, unbranded cart? It seems a little weird to cart off a dude after an injury in the jolly hat-wearing cart,” one fan remarked. If you saw the footage of Jhoan Duran being carted away, you couldn’t miss it. They pressed the same decorated, branded cart typically used for promotions into service. It raises a fair question. Was there no plain, unmarked cart available for emergencies? Marketing is part of the game-day show, but when it comes to player health, there should be no distractions.
Fortunately, Duran avoided a major injury, but the incident served as a reminder of how critical emergency management is in sports.
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