Jhoan Duran Dealing with Self-Confidence Issues

By    |  
Updated:
Jhoan Duran
Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Twins have fallen apart down the stretch and find themselves tied with the Detroit Tigers for the final wild card spot. A significant portion of the problem has been pitching. In the bullpen, among the greatest issues, has been the current state of Jhoan Duran.

Minnesota Twins have made it work with Jhoan Duran

This season the Minnesota Twins started their year without Jhoan Duran. He got a late start after dealing with an oblique injury during spring training. He has gone on to make 55 appearances this season. His 3.91 ERA compared to a 2.99 FIP suggests there is bad luck at play. There is also some confidence issues taking place due to a 15 game run with a .540 ERA (in which he has a dazzling 0.92 FIP).

“I try to listen to everybody and follow my plan. Santana’s] got a lot of experience, a lot of years in the league. They can see better than me. Sometimes when we’re throwing, we don’t see what I don’t do good. When I throw one pitch, and I shouldn’t have thrown that pitch, and if he sees it, he may come to me [and say], ‘Don’t throw that pitch. They’re sitting on that pitch.”

Jhoan Duran on simplifying his approach and taking the advice of teammates (Star Tribune)

As Carlos Santana has told his closer, the Twins need him. Realistically Duran is seeing the results provide negative outcomes despite strong underlying numbers. It’s hard for Duran not to take the poor performance to heart even if he is controlling everything that he can. That also doesn’t mean the Twins can afford for his confidence to waver.

Related: Jhoan Duran is (Mostly) Back to Being Himself

Right now Rocco Baldelli has only a few bullpen arms he can trust. The front office missed on virtually every pitching addition they have made this year. The roster is also walking wounded and the relief corps is running on fumes. Duran has to keep trusting himself even if the results make it hard to do so.

Jhoan Duran has a brighter future for the Twins

It’s unlikely that Jhoan Duran’s body will change in the next week or two. He has very likely been hampered by the core muscle injury all year. It would be extremely beneficial for him to get time off and simply reset. Duran will be pushing for 104 mph fastballs again, but it probably won’t happen until next season.

The Twins don’t have that long for him to get right at the moment. The amount of games left are in the single digits, and Griffin Jax can’t be the only arm that closes out a game. Eventually the Duran entrance will feel like a sure thing again, but it will be a work in progress.

Related: Minnesota Twins Pitcher Reveals Underlying Blister Issue

A good outing or two may be all Duran needs to get some of his swagger back. There’s not much time left in the regular season, but he has to bring it if the Twins make the postseason. Time is running out, and again, Minnesota needs him.

Mentioned in this article:

More About: