Game One: Guardians 6 , Twins 0 : Joe Ryan’s Struggles Continue, And The Hitters Can’t Hit

[Eric Blonigen]

Image courtesy of © Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Box Score
SP: Joe Ryan: 5 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 5 K
Home Runs: None by the Twins, a bunch by the Guardians
Bottom 3 WPA: Joe Ryan (-.232), Trevor Larnach (-.080), Royce Lewis (-.065)
Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs)

Look, the Guardians are basically the Yankees at this point — at least when it comes to facing the Twins. Over the past four seasons, the Twins record is 18-37 when facing the Guardians coming into today. That record got worse today. Are you surprised? I’m not.

The Pitchers
Joe Ryan took the mound and looked to reverse the uncharacteristically shaky stretch of ball. Across his last seven games, he has a 6.15 ERA. After today’s game, it’s clear that something is off. He gave up three home runs in his first 20 pitches and added another in the top of the fifth. This set a season high and was one off his career mark. He also walked a pair, which is unlike him. Ryan was absolute nails for the first 75% of the season, and had even limited damage from homers, something that has plagued him sporadically throughout his career. Since battling an illness a few weeks ago, Ryan has looked like a husk of himself. While he may benefit from being shut down for the last handful of games, I suppose the Twins want to showcase him for offseason suitors. They certainly aren’t doing him or themselves any favors.

The Guardians sent Slade Cecconi — trade acquisition, and he of the career 5.14 ERA — to the mound. While this season has gone better for him, he still came into the game with a 4.35 ERA and a worse 4.82 WHIP. He throws six pitches, and only the curve rates well. In fact, he doesn’t do much well aside from limiting walks and going deep in games. You know, he is the sort of guy who would have felt right at home on a Rick Anderson coached and Ron Gardenhire managed pitching staff. Naturally, the Twins did Twins things against him as he somehow looked great, going seven strong, allowing just three baserunners and striking out eight.

Themes of the Game

You Have to Hit If You Want to Win
It turns out, you need to have baserunners if you want to win a ballgame. How’s that for analysis? In this one, the Twins had just two baserunners make it as far as second base. Luke Keaschall actually made it all the way to third but couldn’t take the final 90 feet — you know, the ones that matter most. The Twins had just three hits in this one. Austin Martin had a “double” of his own when the game was already out of hand in the bottom of the ninth, but it likely should have been caught. To be fair, the Twins also took two walks, both by Ryan Fitzgerald who has one of the Twins’ highest OPS over the past month or so. Neither mattered.

Thomas Hatch Continues to Make His Case
Thomas Hatch probably won’t be an impact guy, but you know what? When you trade all of your good relievers at the deadline, you need some arms. Hatch hasn’t been super reliable, but he has demonstrated an ability to give them length. Today, he went the final four innings, allowing just one run, striking out two, and generally looked pretty good. He also preserved the bullpen, always important when in a doubleheader situation. At this point, with the number of unknowns heading into 2026, he has probably done enough to pencil himself in as a long man for next year. It’s a little telling, however, that this is the second-most noteworthy thing to discuss from this game.

Game Notes

• Jose Ramirez is very good at baseball. In the first inning, he hit a home run that solidified his third 30-30 campaign. Reminder: the Twins have never had a single 30-30 season.
• Byron Buxton’s plate discipline continues to improve before our very eyes. For the second game in a row, his leadoff plate appearance was a strikeout that wasn’t actually a strikeout.
• The Twins ended their stolen base streak at seven games. It was, however, their longest streak since 2004. Despite the failure to steal, the Twins have still stolen 20% more bases in September than any other team.
• Austin Martin continues to look pretty good, and he may have saved his Twins career over the past month and a half. This stretch, and Simeon Woods Richardson’s last start, has made the Jose Berrios trade look better.

What’s Next?
The Twins play the second half of their doubleheader. Bailey Ober faces off against lefty Logan Allen. First pitch is at 6:10 PM. Stay tuned, ‘cuz it almost has to be a better game than this one.

Postgame Interviews

Stay tuned!

Bullpen Usage

 

View full article

[Aggies7]

Gotta get the Yankees back in town so the offense gets going again 

[USAFChief]

"...Cecconi ... came into the game with a 4.35 ERA and a worse 4.82 WHIP."

 

Color me skeptical. 

[Danchat]

Outman's strikeout rate is now 42%... he's simply not a MLB talent and should be DFA'd. If he clears waivers, go ahead and try to fix him at AAA but right now he's a broken hitter.

Martin, conversely, has absolutely played his way into the 2026 lineup despite his shortfalls in the field and baserunning blunders. Not sure how the outfield will shake out but I'll take him over Wallner and Larnach.

[Nshore]

Pereda - first impression pretty good. 

Pereda: " No, let me show you who I really am".

[Patzky]

3 minutes ago, Danchat said:

Outman's strikeout rate is now 42%... he's simply not a MLB talent and should be DFA'd. If he clears waivers, go ahead and try to fix him at AAA but right now he's a broken hitter.

Martin, conversely, has absolutely played his way into the 2026 lineup despite his shortfalls in the field and baserunning blunders. Not sure how the outfield will shake out but I'll take him over Wallner and Larnach.

I'm beyond frustrated watching Larnach hit into DP after DP. Bye?

[Parfigliano]

3 minutes ago, Patzky said:

I'm beyond frustrated watching Larnach hit into DP after DP. Bye?

It's weird how a team that can't hit can manage to hit into so many double plays.

[sweetmusicviola16]

Forgot all about there being an early game. Hopefully I can forget there is another game coming up in an hour or so.

[Jacksson]

And the list of current Twins players who will soon be FORMER Twins players in 2026 continues to GROW.  Lopez, Ryan, Sands, Hatch, Tonkin, Topa, Misiewicz, Larnach, Wallner, Outman, Jeffers, Julian, Miranda, Gasper, McCusker, Kiersey, etc.  Don't wait until the last minute = Say your "Goodbyes" ASAP.  In 2026, The Minnesota Twins will ACTUALLY be the St Paul Saints. 

 

Ryan

[Doctor Gast]

CLE finds ways to win. Twins have no idea.

[ashbury]

1 hour ago, Eric Blonigen said:

Thomas Hatch Continues to Make His Case

Fun fact: "Thomas Hatch" anagrams to "Ha! That Schmo".  You could look it up.

 

[Permanent Twins Fan]

 

[Eric Blonigen]

1 hour ago, USAFChief said:

"...Cecconi ... came into the game with a 4.35 ERA and a worse 4.82 WHIP."

 

Color me skeptical. 

Ah, I meant FIP. Good catch!

[Nshore]

These Twins games have been a nice segue into the Fall horror movie genre.

[Danchat]

1 hour ago, Parfigliano said:

It's weird how a team that can't hit can manage to hit into so many double plays.

Big difference between hitting line drives into the outfield and hitting groundballs right at infielders.

[sweetmusicviola16]

34 minutes ago, Doctor Gast said:

CLE finds ways to win. Twins have no idea.

It was mentioned in the lead to the story that Clevland is "lucky." Good teams seem to make their own luck I believe. Bad teams are bad and have no idea as you stated.

[USAFChief]

1 hour ago, Eric Blonigen said:

Ah, I meant FIP. Good catch!

At least you know someone is reading!