The Minnesota Twins received good news on pitcher Joe Ryan on Sunday.
He had been scratched from his scheduled spring training start on Saturday due to lower back tightness and underwent an MRI. Dan Hayes of The Athletic reported that Ryan is dealing with inflammation in his lower back.
As Hayes noted, this is a best-case scenario for Ryan and the Twins. He may not miss much time in spring training and would seem to remain on track for Opening Day. As staff ace Pablo Lopez will miss the 2026 season due to his impending Tommy John surgery, losing Ryan would be a devastating blow for a Twins team that is looking to contend during the upcoming year.
Joe Ryan is an important part of Minnesota Twins’ plans in 2026
Ryan had a career year in 2025. The first time All-Star posted a 3.42 ERA and a 1.035 WHiP over his 171 innings, striking out 194 batters with 39 walks. While Ryan had his warts, allowing 26 homers and a 41.7% hard-hit rate, he was able to solidify his place as a top-of-the-rotation starter.
That production will be important as the Twins look to contend for the postseason in 2026. Excluding Bailey Ober, the rest of the Twins’ rotation is filled with question marks, as pitchers such as Mick Abel, Taj Bradley, Zebulon Matthews and Simeon Wood Richardson look to establish themselves.
Likewise, Ryan could be a valuable trade chip if the 2026 season begins to unravel. He had generated plenty of interest at the 2025 trade deadline and again in the offseason until the Twins took him off the market. A similarly solid showing during the upcoming year could lead to a substantial return to help accelerate the Twins’ rebuilding process.