Betsy Helfand

Minnesota

Sports Reporter at Pioneer Press

Minnesota Twins writer for the St. Paul @PioneerPress. National parks enthusiast. Big fan of dogs.

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Articles

Twins closer Jhoan Duran feeling younger, throwing as well as ever

2 days ago | bismarcktribune.com | Betsy Helfand

By most players’ standards, Jhoan Duran had a good season last year. By his own admission, it wasn’t what he was looking for — he wanted results that more closely resembled his 2023 campaign. After posting a 2.45 earned-run average, converting 27 saves and striking out 12.1 batters per nine innings, his numbers took a slight hit last year — still dependable, just not quite as dominant.
Twins closer Jhoan Duran feeling younger, throwing as well as ever

2 days ago | twincities.com | Betsy Helfand

By most players’ standards, Jhoan Duran had a good season last year. By his own admission, it wasn’t what he was looking for — he wanted results that more closely resembled his 2023 season. After posting a 2.45 earned-run average, converting 27 saves and striking out 12.1 batters per nine innings, his numbers took a slight hit last year — still dependable, just not quite as dominant.
Keirsey Jr. walks off Giants, extends Twins' winning streak to eight

3 days ago | bismarcktribune.com | Betsy Helfand

In the seconds after he sliced a hit the opposite way into left field, bringing home the game-winning run, DaShawn Keirsey Jr. was thinking about his mother, Angela. She was sitting in the stands, in town from California to watch her son play. Given an opportunity late in Sunday’s game, he more than made the most of it with her in attendance.
Royce Lewis snaps season-starting 0-fer

3 days ago | twincities.com | Betsy Helfand

Royce Lewis was hitless in his first 13 at-bats of the season, but there was another number the Twins’ third baseman preferred to focus on after the Twins’ win over the San Francisco Giants on Saturday night. “I keep it humble but we’re 5-0 since Royce has been here,” Lewis said. “I can only imagine what it’ll be like when I start turning the tides.”A day later, he did. Lewis collected two hits in Sunday’s 7-6 walk-off extra inning win over the San Francisco Giants.
Twins walk it off, win eighth-straight game to top .500 for first time

3 days ago | inforum.com | Betsy Helfand

MINNEAPOLIS — The Twins saw their lead disappear in the eighth inning and fell behind two innings later. No matter. These days, the Twins are finding ways and everybody’s doing their part. On Sunday, that meant DaShawn Keirsey Jr., who was hitting just .067 in limited at-bats this season, hitting a walk-off knock, to send the Twins to a 7-6 win over the San Francisco Giants in extra innings in the series finale at Target Field.
Twins beat Giants, climb back to .500 with seventh-straight win

4 days ago | inforum.com | Betsy Helfand

A lot went wrong in the Twins’ first 22 games, a run that saw them leave Atlanta 20 days ago after being swept to put them a season-low eight games under .500. A lot has gone right for the Twins since then. They started it by taking care of business against two of the worst teams in the American League, winning five of six games on their last homestand.
Twins’ Danny Coulombe off to strong start: ‘You can’t do it much better’

4 days ago | twincities.com | Betsy Helfand

It’s been nearly a full year since Danny Coulombe has given up a run. Just don’t tell him that. “There’s some things that are not talked about, you know?” Coulombe said. And this is one of them, though that stat might be somewhat misleading. Coulombe did miss much of the summer last year, recovering from surgery to remove bone chips from his left elbow. That still doesn’t take away from the fact that the veteran reliever has been awfully impressive in his return to Minnesota.
C

5 days ago | twincities.com | Betsy Helfand

Chris Paddack has often lamented this season that he wished he could pitch deeper into games and give his team more innings. He found one way to ensure he pitched into the sixth inning on Friday — don’t allow any baserunners. Paddack’s flirtation with a perfect game came to an end with two outs in the sixth when Christian Koss lined a single to center after Paddack had retired 17 straight batters to begin the game.
Twins’ Joe Ryan set for start after intense bout of illness earlier in week

5 days ago | twincities.com | Betsy Helfand

Joe Ryan doesn’t know what he was stricken with this week. He just knows it was bad — really bad. Ryan went to see the movie “Sinners” on the team’s Monday off day, but his movie-going experience was interrupted by non-stop shaking, which he described as “super violent.” When he returned home, he laid down for about a half hour before perching himself in front of the toilet for the next five hours.
Twins’ Joe Ryan set for start after intense bout of illness earlier in week

5 days ago | sports.yahoo.com | Betsy Helfand

Joe Ryan doesn’t know what he was stricken with this week. He just knows it was bad — really bad. Ryan went to see the movie “Sinners” on the team’s Monday off day, but his movie-going experience was interrupted by non-stop shaking, which he described as “super violent.” When he returned home, he laid down for about a half hour before perching himself in front of the toilet for the next five hours.