Joe Ryan Takes Encouraging Step Forward, But Twins Aren’t Rushing His Return

The Minnesota Twins received an encouraging update on Joe Ryan’s recovery Monday, but there is still plenty of work to be done before their All-Star right-hander is ready to return to the mound.

Ryan, who is on the injured list with a mild left glute strain, played catch on flat ground Monday. It was a small step, but it was an important one for a pitcher who has been dealing with physical issues that have impacted both his mechanics and his results since the All-Star break.

Twins manager Derek Shelton said Ryan’s throwing session was a positive development.

“I had a brief but very good conversation with him,” Shelton said. “I think we’re going to just have to see how it continues to progress. But the fact that he’s out there throwing is a very encouraging sign. It was flat ground, but he was still playing catch.”

Ryan is not eligible to return from the injured list until August 20, but the Twins don't appear interested in treating that date as a target. Instead, the organization wants to see how Ryan responds as he progresses through his throwing program.

Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll echoed Shelton’s optimism while emphasizing the importance of taking a measured approach.

“We want to make sure we don't try to push him along, and end up on this spiral or hamster wheel,” Zoll said. “We're trying to thread the needle on not having him down too long, so it doesn't require too long of a buildup (to return). But we also want to make sure everything is resolved.”

That last part is especially important. Ryan hasn't simply been dealing with the glute strain. He has also experienced tightness in his back, and the combination disrupted his mechanics. Once those mechanics became compromised, his performance took a significant downturn.

Ryan went 0-3 with a 9.39 ERA across three starts following the All-Star break before landing on the injured list. The Twins don't want to see him return simply because he is technically healthy enough to pitch. They need him to feel like himself again.

“We have to start with that to make sure he feels like that's resolved before being able to progress,” Zoll said. “Obviously these things work all in conjunction. If you feel off physically, it can impact you mechanically and performance-wise. ... First and foremost, we want to get him feeling symptom free to be able to progress.”

That approach makes sense for a pitcher Minnesota cannot afford to get wrong. Ryan is one of the most important pieces of the Twins' rotation, and his importance only increases as the club tries to remain in the American League playoff picture. Minnesota has already made additions to its pitching staff, but replacing a healthy version of Ryan over the long term is not something the organization can realistically expect to do.

The good news is that Monday's throwing session represents progress. The bad news is that it is only one step. Ryan still needs to progress to throwing off a mound, build his workload back up and demonstrate that the physical issues that disrupted his mechanics have been resolved. The Twins will need to balance urgency with patience, particularly with the season entering its most important stretch.

If the Twins are going to stay in the playoff hunt, they need their All-Star starter back. More importantly, they need him back healthy and pitching like the version of Joe Ryan they know he can be. Monday provided a reason for optimism, but the next few weeks will determine whether that optimism turns into a meaningful return.