The Twins got some good news about the star right-hander Joe Ryan after he exited his most recent start in the first inning due to elbow soreness. An MRI that was taken did not reveal any damage done, the team told their team (link via Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press). Ryan plans to throw in the bullpen today and may not even need a trip to the injured list.
Alarm bells were ringing during Ryan’s rookie season, when he took only nine pitches before leaving with the trainer. The right-handed batsman explained that he was upset which he has never experienced in the past in many fields. As it was on his elbow, he took a cautious approach to show the coach. The twins, understandably, didn’t take any chances.
Time will tell if Ryan is completely out of the woods. He has already played catch. Today’s bullpen session will be informative. However, even if he needs a short 15-day trip to IL, that’s a much better outcome than what many Twins (and likely Twins) fans were fighting for.
Ryan, 29, has been one of the best pitchers in the American League since his debut in 2021, after the Twins acquired him from the Rays in a trade. Nelson Cruz. He made 123 appearances – all but one start – and posted a 3.79 ERA with a solid 27.5% strikeout rate and a 5.7% walk rate. He’s a fly-ball pitcher without premium speed, which always makes him attractive at home, but Ryan’s ability to avoid walks and miss bats in the zone has helped him minimize the damage.
The Twins control Ryan through the 2027 season. He’s making $6.2MM this year and is owed some more in settlements. (This year’s deal has a similar option on it, but that will likely be rejected by one side, and the two teams will meet again to negotiate a new price for his final season of arb.)
Minnesota entered this season expected to be one of the most competitive teams in the league. They have outperformed expectations, to some extent, due to big moves from young players Austin Martin, Brooks Lee and especially Hello Bradleywhile veterans Trevor Larnach again Ryan Jeffers have stimulating concerts. Byron Buxton He was fantastic, hitting 11 home runs in 33 games.
Those positive developments notwithstanding, the Twins’ decision not to make any significant investments in the bullpen after shedding relief and trading for a top-five prospect last summer left them with a sub-.500 record. Minnesota relievers rank 28th in the majors in ERA (5.26), 29th in strikeout rate (18.3%) and 21st in walk rate (10.9%). Only three teams (Mets, Red Sox, Angels) have a lower average fastball from relievers.
The Twins play in the worst division in baseball, so their 16-20 record leaves them only 1.5 games out of first place, trailing a Tigers club that just lost its ace. Tarik Skubal the absence of months. Perhaps that will be enough to keep all five AL Central teams in contention heading into the summer, but Ryan still stands as an obvious potential trade destination considering last summer’s fire sale and ownership turmoil that left the team with about $50MM in salary against the 2023 cap hit. Getting a clean bill on his right elbow both gives the Twins a better chance to make an unlikely contender and preserve most of the veteran arm’s trade value that will be their high deadline if they trade for a second straight summer.
