Minnesota Twins star pitcher Joe Ryan was scratched from his scheduled spring training start on Saturday. With Pablo Lopez already out with an injury, the last thing Minnesota needs is another starter to miss time. Of course, it is spring training so the ball club is proceeding with extreme caution. However, will Ryan -- who is currently dealing with low back tightness and will undergo an MRI -- have his World Baseball Classic status impacted by this concern?

Ryan is expected to pitch alongside a star-studded group of starters with Team USA in the WBC. In addition to Ryan, Tarik Skubal, Paul Skenes and Logan Webb are among the starting pitchers in the rotation. The subject of Ryan's WBC potential availability amid the injury was discussed on Foul Territory on Saturday.

"You know what that's gonna do? I hate to say this, that's gonna take him probably out of Team USA," AJ Pierzynski said on the show.

Pierzynski, a former big league catcher, went on to explain how any concern -- even if it's not huge -- is often enough to keep players from participating in the WBC. That is true especially for pitchers. Teams' primary focus is the regular season, and they don't want players to risk further injury in the World Baseball Classic.

The MRI will ultimately reveal the severity of Ryan's injury. For now, Joe Ryan is still a member of the Team USA roster. With that being said, caution will be the approach. It would not be shocking to see Ryan removed from the roster unless the MRI determines that absolutely nothing is wrong.

The Twins are already in a difficult situation. Even with a completely healthy Joe Ryan and Pablo Lopez, Minnesota would have still realistically had a difficult time trying to compete in 2026. With Lopez injured and Ryan's status uncertain, one has to wonder if Minnesota will end up entering a rebuild. 

The Twins' chances of competing are slim this year. They could surprise the MLB world, but this ball club will likely end up being a seller at the trade deadline.

For now, the focus is on Joe Ryan's injury status. The Twins will continue to closely monitor and provide updates on Ryan's injury. The same can be said for Team USA, as they will need to find a replacement if Ryan is unable to participate in the tournament.