Twins ace Joe Ryan was a late scratch from his planned start in today’s Grapefruit League game with the Red Sox. As per a pair of announcements from the Twins, Ryan is dealing with lower back tightness on his right side, and is undergoing an MRI to determine the extent of the injury.
More will be known once the tests are complete, and it is entirely possible this just a case of early-camp soreness as Ryan starts to ramp up his throwing progression. Still, Ryan’s back issue merits some obvious concern given that Pablo Lopez‘s 2026 season is already a wash due to a Tommy John surgery. Losing Lopez was a huge blow to a Minnesota team that looked like a fringe contender at best, and if Ryan is now sidelined with any sort of notable injury, the Twins’ season might be ruined before it even gets underway.
Beyond the impact on the Twins, Ryan is slated to be part of the United States’ roster during the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Even if the back problem ends up being relatively minor, the Twins might well pull Ryan out of the WBC as a pure precaution, and if he needs to make up for any lost innings in Spring Training.
Ryan is coming off the first All-Star season of his career, as the right-hander posted a 3.42 ERA, 28.2% strikeout rate, and 5.7% walk rate across 171 innings. While Ryan has a penchant for allowing hard contact and is a little homer-prone, his numbers over the last four seasons (3.78 ERA, 5.7% walk rate, 27.5K% over 614 2/3 IP) have established him as a front-of-the-rotation arm. Ryan has been relatively durable over that four-year span with the Twins, apart from a teres major strain that ended his 2024 season in August.
There has been plenty of trade speculation surrounding Ryan over the last year, but the Twins held onto Ryan amidst their large-scale selloff at last summer’s trade deadline. Ryan isn’t eligible for free agency until after the 2027 season, so these two years of inexpensive arbitration control make him a particular bargain for the budget-conscious Twins. If Minnesota is out of contention again at this year’s deadline, expect the trade rumors to again swirl around Ryan, assuming he’s healthy and still in good form.
Oh. This isn’t good, but it doesn’t look as bad as Lopez. Hopefully it’s just a bit of a small ramping up issue and nothing more.
Yeah Lopez appears to be a bit worse
I saw that MRI and figured he was toast for the year! Twins can’t afford to lose him for long hope everything is ok.
Starting pitching problems come in twos for the Twins.
But they’re not identical.
Doesn’t have to be no two elbows blow up the same way. Or do they
Fraternal injuries. Hear they’re crazy at parties.
Seems like it was a great idea to hold on to Ryan and Lopez. Really no rebuild quite like a half a____ one as the Chicago Bulls would say.
Shelton perfect manager to lead this team
Uncle Mike!!! Been meaning to ask ya…if the Bears had beaten the Rams in the divisional round, do you think the Bears could have then taken the Seahawks in the NFC title game? Just curious to see you what you think…I guess we will get a little hard evidence in the matter since Bears and Hawks face off in ’26.
ISOAB- Could have probably given them as good a game as anybody else who did end up playing them. Anyway it won’t matter if they move because I won’t watch anymore.
Oh great, does this mean that the twins should expect another pitcher to need Tj surgery and another with back issues?
Just maternal problems 🙃
No one will be shocked when this minor back injury somehow ends up being Tommy John
Lmao
They really hated us in with no mention of where the MRI was for. Well played MLBTR.
So is Giolito waiting by his phone, or does he even want to take that call? Catch-22…
I mean… do you really want to be the next Spinal Tap drummer?!?
Excellent comment.
He probably wants as much money as he can get at this point.
A smarter sign would be Littell. But both Gallen and Giolito would take what they could get right now, and not so sure Scherzer wouldn’t be there with them with actual baseball being played now.
Gallen signed last week, he’s back with the DBacks.
Totally forgot about that. Old brain. 😂
I’d rather pitch in Alaska than be in Minnesota.
I just looked in the mirror
I’m looking California
But feeling Minnesota
A good gm would have unloaded both those pitchers even if he could not get an elite return for either due to the market having so many pitchers. But either last deadline or this offseason they both should have been dealt – no excuses
From my understanding the Twins’ last GM wanted to trade everybody and start a full blown rebuild but ownership said no.
Yeah the owners took one look at that roster and thought “We could go all the way!”. Then they showed their GM the door.
Typically to win the AL Central you just need to build for .500 and then hope the Baseball Gods are in a good mood. Not this year though, I think Detroit adding Valdez separates them from the pack.
Yep — sure, Lopez was hurt last year, but great contract, track record (he was still younger than 30), would have gotten him out of MIN with savings and possibly a few upside prospects to boot.
Yep, it was completely poor judgement. Both pitchers would have fetched a bunch, especially Ryan. Anyone could have seen they don’t have enough to compete. Really terrible management.
White Sox just might manage 4th place this season with Twins at risk of losing like White Sox did a few years ago.
White Sox might win the division if they get some starting pitching and Murakami hits like he did in Japan.
C’mon, man. Sheesh.
Spaghetti, uh oh
The Twins making a huge run at the year from hell team already
The perfect beginning to the storybook Miracle Twins of ’26
If this team wins 60 games it will be an absolute miracle.
If they don’t lose 110 games it’ll be a mircale.
Should’ve dealt him earlier.
Twins tanking before the season even starts.
Twins locked in for 100+ losses now
Let the tanking begin!!
Is it tanking if a team just sucks?
Ask the White Sox the past couple of years.
Q: Is it tanking if a team just sucks?
A: Yes. And heck Yes. And if you’re the W. Sox you’re just cheap.
And you’re last name is Reinsdorf.
“Tanked” and won the draft lottery. There is some good pitching in this draft.
Carson Boleman has been slotted as low as 18 in mock drafts. Joseph Contreras looks like he could have the right stuff and he is projected to fall into the second round.
Sox are going to get baffled by the trio of SS’s at the top and miss on both, Rays and Twins likely take a SS too.
Pirates could land Boleman with the 5th pick and Contreras with the 34th pick. That would be a nice start to the draft.
If I were the White Sox, Id take one of them 1.1 and pass on the SS. Both are elite.
Back problems are tricky and I have found of uncertain duration and they re-occur.
Crap. That means Byron is going to put himself on the IL trying to carry the load …again.
They should let a 12-year-old kid become the new owner and manager. It worked pretty well for them last time, and no kid could do a worse job than current owners
Why do poorly managed teams alway seem to have the most bad “luck”.
Which one is next: Jeffers or Buxton??
Twins are about to sign the rest of the starting pitching market.
Remember when Padres pitcher Jacob Nix tried to crawl through a strangers doggy door, then got kicked and tased?
Good stuff
I like how the Twins were stupid not to trade Ryan. So if they did trade him, then the team that traded for him would be stupid? What the hell? His injury sucks. For him. That’s all.
So if they lose Lopez for the season and Ryan for a good amount… Buxton finally cave on a trade?
When I first read the headline, my first thought was he needs to stay out of the poison ivy.
“Remain calm… All is well!”
— Kevin Bacon, “Animal House”
Clayton Kershaw is about to get a wbc start
While I hope it’s nothing major, as a Red Sox fan I let out a big sigh that we still have many of our key young pitchers and JD for that matter. that would have been a big blow to the season already!! Question is there any stud pitchers who don’t require TJ surgery before reaching F.A anymore?? Pittsburgh you there??
Sign zack littell now. Please.
Even Joey Luccesi.