Joe Ryan Already Playing Catch Following Weekend Injury Scare

[Cody Christie]

When the Minnesota Twins scratched Joe Ryan from his scheduled start on Saturday due to lower back tightness, it was the kind of spring training update that immediately makes an entire fan base uneasy. A few days later, however, the news cycle has already shifted in a much more encouraging direction.

Twins manager Derek Shelton told reporters that Ryan played catch from 90 feet on Tuesday morning after undergoing imaging over the weekend. The results showed inflammation in his lower back rather than any structural damage. For a team that is already navigating the loss of Pablo López to Tommy John surgery, that distinction matters in a significant way.

“He played catch today at 90 feet, so I think that was really encouraging,” Shelton said. “And he was also in the training room doing movement stuff. Encouraging. Trending in the right direction.”

At this point in camp, the most important thing for Minnesota is not necessarily how quickly Ryan gets back on the mound, but that he continues to progress without setbacks. Spring training schedules are flexible. A timeline is not.

There is still no clear indication of when Ryan will throw his next bullpen session, but the early internal expectation is that this is a short-term interruption rather than something that threatens his availability for Opening Day. That is critical given the Twins' rotation's current state. With López sidelined for the season, Ryan is no longer just part of the front-end mix. He is the front-end mix.

If healthy, he becomes the obvious choice to take the ball on Opening Day, setting the tone for a rotation that will lean heavily on Bailey Ober and Simeon Woods Richardson behind him. That makes maintaining his health through the remainder of camp one of the most important storylines the Twins will navigate before the regular season begins.

Ryan is also scheduled to pitch for the United States in the upcoming World Baseball Classic, though his availability for that event is now less certain. Minnesota may ultimately take a cautious approach if there is any lingering question about his back responding to increased intensity.

There should still be enough time for Ryan to ramp back up for the regular season without issue. The bigger unknown now may be how the Twins handle his workload in the short term as they balance competitive commitments in March with the reality that their postseason hopes could hinge on his ability to stay on the mound from April through September.

Behind Ober and Woods Richardson, the final spots in the rotation are expected to come down to a camp competition between Zebby Matthews, Taj Bradley, Mick Abel, and potentially David Festa. Bradley might have the inside track to a spot since he has thrown over 380 innings at the big-league level. Festa is “gradually ramping up” after ending last season on the injured list.

Minnesota has touted its pitching depth, but losing Joe Ryan might have pushed the Minnesota Twins from fringe contender to full-scale rebuild. Without their projected Opening Day starter anchoring the staff, the domino effect would stretch from the top of the rotation to the final bullpen spot, forcing Bailey Ober and Simeon Woods Richardson into roles that demand more innings and consistency while accelerating timelines for young arms that were expected to develop more gradually.

In a season already shaped by the loss of López, Ryan’s health is not just important to Minnesota’s April outlook but foundational to whether this team spends the summer chasing a postseason berth or reevaluating its long-term direction.
 

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