PHILADELPHIA — Jhoan Duran ran from the bullpen with Citizens Bank Park clothed in darkness aside from the flames licking the ribbon boards and the Liberty Bell in the outfield.But something was off. There was no bell tolling, no music.“You know (the operator) may be nervous, too — like me,” Duran said. “So that’s OK.”The nerves slipped away, Duran said, as soon as he threw the first pitch. Perhaps the moment wasn’t as pictured: a delayed entrance, a four-run deficit, giving up a hit. But Duran had finally made it to an All-Star Game — one in which he threw just four pitches, ending the top of the ninth for the National League.It is hard to quantify just how much Duran has meant to the Phillies since his arrival at the 2025 trade deadline. After a summer of shakiness, the club found its long-term closer in Duran, who slipped into the clubhouse seamlessly and endeared himself to the fanbase with his dominant fastball and an electrifying entrance unlike anything this ballpark had seen. So it was fitting that he got to perform before the home crowd Tuesday night, capping a stellar first half in which he produced a 1.38 ERA in 32 2/3 innings and notched 24 saves.How Philly landed the All-Star Game for America’s 250Tyler Kepner and moreThe road to this All-Star appearance was paved over years, yes, but also in little moments each day of this season. Duran, his coaches said, is stubborn about his daily routine. He is not prideful, they said, but does take pride in being intentional in his work.It is Duran’s approach to his routine, Phillies pitching coach Caleb Cotham said, that makes him different from a typical hard-throwing reliever.“It’s not this ‘just throw hard’ mentality,” Cotham said. “He pitches. He works on pitching a lot. He works on his delivery. He’s got drills that are specific to him. He’s really regimented in his scheduling. So, he’s as much of a pitcher as any other guy. That’s not as apparent just because you could look at him and say, ‘Well, he just throws 100 to 103 (mph), just grips and rips.’”