Twins' Jhoan Duran getting closer to rehab assignment

The Minnesota closer is 'feeling good' and threw 21 pitches against live hitters Friday.

Twins closer Jhoan Duran was scheduled to throw 20 pitches against live batters ahead of Friday night’s game against the Detroit Tigers as he continues to work his way from an oblique injury that forced him to start the season on the 15-day injured list. 

Duran instead threw 21 pitches. 

“He was supposed to throw 20, and he wanted an extra one, so tells you he’s feeling good,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. 

Baldelli said Duran looked comfortable throwing the ball, his stuff looked normal and he was delivering the ball around the zone the way they had hoped he would. Baldelli expects Duran to get a couple of rehab outings soon as he inches closer to returning. 

“We should see him back soon, and I think that does a lot of good things for our team and our bullpen and pushes guys into some other roles, and our bullpen gets even thicker at that point,” Baldelli said. 

Duran, 26, had a 2.45 earned-run average last season, striking out 86 batters while allowing 46 hits and 25 runs across 62 1/3 innings. Last July, Duran threw the fastest pitch in the majors in five years when he delivered a 104.8 mph heater. 

Kepler ‘close’

Twins right fielder Max Kepler began his rehab assignment on Thursday with Triple-A St. Paul, going 1 for 3 from the plate in the Saints’ 6-5 loss at the Indianapolis Indians. Baldelli said Kepler is “getting pretty close” to returning to the Twins.

Kepler is in the lineup for the Saints again Friday and will play right field. 

“I don’t know what day he’s coming back. I think Sunday/Monday is a possibility,” Baldelli said. “But he’s going to play again, he’s going to get some time in the outfield.” 

Briefly

• Baldelli said Carlos Correa’s rehab has gone “pretty positively” but that Correa hasn’t gotten to rotational movements yet. But that could be close, Baldelli said.