Joe Ryan Returns to Twins, Garrett Acton Optioned

[Cody Christie]

On Monday, the Twins returned Joe Ryan from his rehab assignment and reinstated him from the 15-day injured list, officially putting one of their most important starting pitchers back on the active roster. To make room, Minnesota optioned right-handed reliever Garrett Acton to Triple-A St. Paul.

Ryan's return comes at a time when the Twins don't have much left to play for in the standings, but there is still plenty of value in getting their All-Star right-hander back on the mound before the season comes to an end.

Ryan completed a three-inning rehab start for St. Paul on Tuesday night in Omaha. He threw 42 pitches, with 29 finding the strike zone. He also threw roughly 10 additional pitches in the bullpen after completing his scheduled work. That was enough for the Twins to feel comfortable moving forward.

Ryan also threw a bullpen session over the weekend in Chicago, and the organization ultimately gave him the green light to return to the roster for the team's series against Detroit. The Twins have a TBD scheduled for Monday’s afternoon game in Detroit, so Ryan could take that spot in the rotation. 

The rehab outing certainly wasn't perfect, but it accomplished what Ryan and the Twins wanted. He got back on the mound, worked through multiple innings and came out of the outing feeling good.

Ryan's fastball velocity sat around 91-92 mph in Omaha. That's noticeably below the 93.4 mph average he has carried this season. For a pitcher like Ryan, whose effectiveness comes from command, deception and the ability to locate his pitches rather than overpower hitters, a drop in velocity is worth monitoring.

The conditions in Omaha were extremely hot, and Ryan acknowledged that he wasn't trying to reach back for the same velocity he would during a regular-season Major League start. The goal was to work through his pitches and make sure his body responded well to the outing. More importantly, Ryan came away encouraged by the quality of his pitches. That's the part the Twins should care about most.

And the Twins could certainly use him. Getting him back gives the organization another opportunity to evaluate what its pitching staff can look like heading into 2027. It also provides Ryan with a chance to finish his season on a positive note after an interrupted campaign.

Acton's departure is the corresponding roster move. He appeared in seven games for Minnesota this season, allowing seven earned runs across 11 innings. He struck out 14 batters but also issued six walks.

His numbers in Triple-A tell a different story. Acton owns a 2.55 ERA with 23 strikeouts and just eight walks across 17 2/3 innings for St. Paul. He has shown enough there to remain a potential bullpen option for the Twins, particularly as the organization continues evaluating its pitching depth.

For now, though, the attention shifts back to Ryan. And after watching the Twins navigate the final stretch of the season without one of their best starters, that return can't come soon enough.

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[MikeNC]

Optimistic for 2027 that is.  We have at least 10 starter candidates, a couple of which will help rebuild the bullpen.  Biggest hole will be trying to replace Jeffers bat, and overall get some HR production.

[Autist75]

     Nice to see him back.  Too bad he can't help this clown show out much this year...

[DJL44]

I hope he has three dominant starts, including one against the Yankees, to finish the season with maximum trade value.

[ashbury]

22 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

I hope he has three dominant starts, including one against the Yankees, to finish the season with maximum trade value.

In that case his value to the Twins will also be high unless TP decides it's okay for his GM to tank 2027.

[DJL44]

1 minute ago, ashbury said:

In that case his value to the Twins will also be high unless TP decides it's okay for his GM to tank 2027.

I've been told by many posters here that "second half Joe" will tank 2027 all on his own.

[ashbury]

1 minute ago, DJL44 said:

I've been told by many posters here that "second half Joe" will tank 2027 all on his own.

Other GMs don't pay the Star Tribune subscription fee and their information gathering is blocked by the paywall, so yeah, probably they will be unaware of this pattern and offer top dollar for Joe.