Cole Sands, Jhoan Durán, and the Twins' Evolving Closer Role

[Cody Christie]

Image courtesy of © Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Modern bullpens have evolved to the point where using one player in a traditional closer role is seen as antiquated. The Twins were projected to have one of baseball’s best bullpens entering the season because of the variety of high-leverage arms available to manager Rocco Baldelli. After some early-season hiccups, the bullpen is starting to meet preseason expectations, often tailoring matchups based on opposing lineups, and illustrating the shift away from a one-size-fits-all closer model. Here’s how it all fits together.

Jhoan Durán: Still the Team’s Primary Closer
Durán has been one of baseball’s elite relievers again this season, posting a sparkling 0.84 ERA through his first 22 appearances in 2025. He has already collected eight saves and struck out 25 batters, demonstrating dominance and durability from the Twins’ bullpen. Durán’s performance isn’t a fluke, as he owns a 1.03 WHIP and has been nearly unhittable in ninth-inning situations, allowing just two earned runs all season.

Far from being a “closer by committee” situation because of Durán’s struggles, the decision to use Sands as the team’s closer has been entirely situational. Both instances occurred only after Durán logged high-leverage work the night before. It would be great if he were available every night, but that isn’t realistic for any closer in the modern game. 

The Recent Winning Streak and Tight Games
The Twins have ridden an impressive winning streak, stringing together 12 consecutive victories to surge into playoff contention. During that run, Minnesota played in an unusually high number of close games where high-leverage arms were necessary. In fact, 11 of the team’s 14 games in May have been decided by three runs or less. These types of games are taxing for their late-inning arms and necessitating creative usage patterns.

On Friday, May 17, the Twins held a 3–0 lead over Milwaukee, with Durán unavailable after throwing 27 pitches the previous day. Minnesota turned to Brock Stewart for the seventh, Griffin Jax for the eighth, and ultimately Cole Sands for the save chance in the ninth. Sands recorded his second save of the season in perfect fashion, fanning two in a 1-2-3 frame. This usage pattern underscores how modern bullpens often deploy “bulk” and “bridge” arms before handing the ball to the freshest high-leverage reliever.

Sands isn't the only non-Durán arm getting closing opportunities. Left-hander Danny Coulombe has quietly emerged as another key late-inning option, having already secured multiple save chances this season. Coulombe signed to a one-year, $3 million deal in February to take over the left-handed relief role vacated by Caleb Thielbar. In 19 appearances, Coulombe has not allowed an earned run and has a career-best 31.7 K% and 3.3 BB%. Like Sands, the Twins aren’t afraid to use him to close games, especially if the opposition has strong left-handed hitters scheduled in the ninth.  

The Evolution of Closer Roles in Today’s Game
What we’re seeing in Minnesota is hardly unique. Across MLB, teams are moving away from a rigid “one-and-done” closer role and toward more dynamic allocations of high-leverage innings. This approach maximizes matchups, accounts for reliever workload, and acknowledges that leverage overshadows inning designation.

In the Twins’ case, having multiple arms capable of handling ninth-inning pressure (Durán, Coulombe, Sands, Jax) gives Baldelli the flexibility to manage back‐to‐back strings and matchups without overtaxing any single reliever.

What’s Next for Sands?
Sands ended the month of April with his bullpen role up in the air. From April 10-25, he made seven appearances (6 IP) and allowed five earned runs on six hits. Opponents had a .788 OPS against him, and he had more walks (4 BB) than strikeouts (3 K) during this stretch. 

May has been much kinder to Sands. He has yet to allow a run this month in 7 ⅓ innings with six strikeouts and one walk. Relievers work in small sample sizes, making their numbers look poor early in the season. The Twins trusted that his underlying stuff and ability to generate swings-and-miss make him one of the team’s best bullpen arms. 

His two save outings came in identical contexts when Durán was unavailable after working the night before. It’s unlikely the Twins envision a wholesale closer swap anytime soon. Instead, Sands has carved out a “premium bridge” niche: when the game is on the line, and Durán needs rest, he steps in. If Sands continues to execute by maintaining his strikeout rate and limiting walks, he could earn more opportunities and potentially enter consideration as a ninth-inning option.

Minnesota’s bullpen has become a collaborative unit where roles are defined by leverage, health, and matchup, not convention. Sands’ future may involve more save chances, but always within a broader strategy that prioritizes winning today’s game and keeping key arms fresh for tomorrow.

Overall, the Twins remain firmly in the Durán‐as‐closer camp, but they’ve shown a willingness to spread high-leverage work to Sands and Coulombe. As the season unfolds, expect more of the same thoughtful deployment, an approach that reflects the cutting edge of bullpen management in 2025.

How can the Twins best use their bullpen in the late innings? Are there ways Baldelli can alter his bullpen usage? Leave a comment and start the discussion. 

View full article

[Patzky]

Pen usage is one of the most easily criticized aspects of a Manager's strategy. The results don't lend to gray; it works or it doesn't. Rocco has lucked out in making the right choices more often this season than in past years; the competency of available arms has made it easy for him. 

 

You make your luck.

[DJL44]

They have a 13 game winning streak. Nobody could expect Duran to pitch in 13 consecutive games with a lead. Necessity means opportunities will be spread out.

[stringer bell]

The important factor here is keeping high-leverage guys available every day with overuse. The Twins are pretty conservative with reliever usage, avoiding back-to-backs when possible and giving a day off if they go over 20 pitches. Varland has been the most used and he is among the leaders in both games and innings, but he hasn't shown any signs thus far of wearing down. The team has been cautious with Stewart and Topa, guys with extensive injury histories who are older. 

Doubleheaders and extra-innings really mess with the bullpens, but the Twins haven't had many extra frames and got through a doubleheader a few days ago. While the team has endured plenty of position player injuries, the health of the pitching staff has been excellent and is the main underlying reason for the long winning streak IMHO.

All that said, I think "backup closer" might be as accurate as "bridge" for Coulombe and Sands. Griffin Jax's usage has been limited almost exclusively to a setup role in the seventh and eighth innings with no ninth inning save chances. Probably the best news is that the Twins have as many as five guys to be trusted in the late innings to protect small leads.

Edit: Well, I've jinxed the team. I see Coulombe was put on the IL.

[bean5302]

I do not see this trend of moving away from closers for enhanced flexibility. There were essentially the same number of pitchers with 20+ saves in 2024 as there was in 2014. There are more injuries, and closers are used a bit more flexibly, but Duran still has 4x as many saves as anybody else on the Twins this year. He's on pace for about 30 saves this year. Tough to earn saves when your team loses 12 in a row (no saves) and then wins 12 in a row (can't pitch every day).

It feels like the legend of the opener and 6 man rotation strategies.

When it comes to Sands, his xERA, xFIP and SIERA are all at 4.00+, and it's not like he generates a crazy number of pop-ups. He's due for regression.

[LambchoP]

Hopefully Coloumbe's injury isn't too serious and he isn't out for too long. He's been incredible and using Funderburk as our lefty is a step down from Coloumbe for sure. I'm hoping we pick up an arm or two at the deadline, along with a bat.

[Bodie]

20 hours ago, bean5302 said:

I do not see this trend of moving away from closers for enhanced flexibility. There were essentially the same number of pitchers with 20+ saves in 2024 as there was in 2014. There are more injuries, and closers are used a bit more flexibly, but Duran still has 4x as many saves as anybody else on the Twins this year. He's on pace for about 30 saves this year. Tough to earn saves when your team loses 12 in a row (no saves) and then wins 12 in a row (can't pitch every day).

It feels like the legend of the opener and 6 man rotation strategies.

When it comes to Sands, his xERA, xFIP and SIERA are all at 4.00+, and it's not like he generates a crazy number of pop-ups. He's due for regression.

Don't know that "regression" is the word I'd use.

His ERA is fine, especially for the 3 or 4 guy out of the pen (which he is - Duran, Jax [eek!] and Columbe are undoubtedly ahead of him).  He also allows far too many inherited runners to score.  Even if he allowed every one to score, he could theoretically have a zero ERA.

The runs are on the board, but his main stats are still quite nice. I'd try to get him in at the start of an inning, or at least with bases empty.

Good to very good in his "expected" role (3rd or 4th reliever) but as a closer he'd be a paid endorser for Tums/Mylanta/Pepto Bismol.

[TopGunn#22]

I think Rocco is doing a better job of defining the roles he's using guys in as well as maintaining a level of flexibility.  I've been one of his biggest critics regarding BP usage, but I see improvement.  Duran is pitching in closing situations, he's not taking the mound in the 7th inning. 

The early season struggles of Jax contributed to the early season lethargy.  He's just such a key guy in that BP and it's a punch to the gut when he doesn't do well.  He's getting back on track and that's really encouraging.

Having Coloumbe go on the IL is your typical war of attrition in MLB.  Hopefully the A+ version of Brock Stewart can help pick up the slack.  Varland is doing what we thought he would be capable of.  The weak link in my opinion right now is Alcala.  He's got tremendous stuff, but walking your first hitter in 5 pitches and then wild pitching him into scoring position is NOT what Rocco or Twins fans have any patience for.  

Alcala could be pressed by a minor league arm or two if he continues the way the has.  With Coloumbe on the I.L. the Twins need to see the BEST version of Funderburk.  

[bean5302]

5 hours ago, Bodie said:

Don't know that "regression" is the word I'd use.

His ERA is fine, especially for the 3 or 4 guy out of the pen (which he is - Duran, Jax [eek!] and Columbe are undoubtedly ahead of him).  He also allows far too many inherited runners to score.  Even if he allowed every one to score, he could theoretically have a zero ERA.

The runs are on the board, but his main stats are still quite nice. I'd try to get him in at the start of an inning, or at least with bases empty.

Good to very good in his "expected" role (3rd or 4th reliever) but as a closer he'd be a paid endorser for Tums/Mylanta/Pepto Bismol.

I suspect Sands doesn't have the ability to choose which batters later score based on whether or not they'll impact his ERA. He's stranding 80.8% of base runners which is top 1/3rd of the league. One of the biggest reasons for regression is the 4.5% HR/FB rate. That's not going to hold up.

[IndianaTwin]

In both of Sands’ saves, there’s more to it than just saying he was the next choice because Duran wasn’t available. 

His first save was in the second game of the doubleheader. Not only had Duran pitched in the first game, but so had Jax, so he wasn’t available either. Sands was the best of what was left after using the top guys to nail down Game 1.

in his second save, Duran wasn’t available but Jax was. However, I think Rocco played it more by situation. Jax didn’t get the save but he was the one who got the top of the lineup in the eighth. Sands then got the save by pitching to 5-6-7 in the lineup. I’d argue that Jax was the more trusted one. 

[IndianaTwin]

11 hours ago, TopGunn#22 said:

I think Rocco is doing a better job of defining the roles he's using guys in as well as maintaining a level of flexibility.  I've been one of his biggest critics regarding BP usage, but I see improvement.  Duran is pitching in closing situations, he's not taking the mound in the 7th inning….  

Rocco hasn’t improved in terms of his willingness to use Durán in the seventh since he’s been installed as the closer. He’s been very consistent in how often he’s done it over the past three seasons — once each year. 

In other words, it’s wrong to imply that Rocco has used him in the seventh with any regularity and that he’s needed to improve in that regard.