Minnesota Twins Make Joe Ryan Decision After Disastrous Start

Minnesota Twins right-hander Joe Ryan had one of his worst starts of the season Monday against the Cleveland Guardians. He allowed 10 hits across four innings, surrendering eight runs and giving up six home runs as Cleveland hitters were not fooled by anything he was throwing. He collected just three strikeouts in what was his sixth loss of the season.

As a result, the Twins are making a change ahead of their upcoming weekend series against the Athletics. Instead of having Ryan take his usual turn Saturday, the team has decided to list that spot as TBD and instead have him take the ball on Sunday for the series finale.

"Ryan gets an extra day of rest after allowing six homers in his last start," wrote Twins reporter Aaron Gleeman.

The decision was likely made not just to let Ryan reset after a disastrous outing but also to keep his arm fresh.

This year, while he has continued to dominate aside from the blowup on Monday, he has already made 21 starts, tied for the lead in the American League. If the Twins are buying at the trade deadline and pushing for October baseball, they will undoubtedly need Ryan at full strength and healthy.

Now in his sixth MLB season, Ryan is one of the best pitchers in baseball. He earned his second straight All-Star selection for his performance during the first half, and across 114 1/3 innings he has posted a 3.38 ERA with 131 strikeouts, making him the clear ace of the staff.

There is speculation surrounding whether Ryan remains with the Twins after the trade deadline. While it is more likely the club chooses to buy than sell given their current position in the AL wild card race, if they drop more games as August approaches he would be the first player to go.

The Twins even dangled him at last year's deadline before ultimately holding on. His value is just as high this time around, as any contender acquiring him would not just be getting the remainder of 2026 but also 2027, with Ryan still under team control through next season.

One bad start does not define what has otherwise been an excellent season, and an extra day of rest gives Ryan the best chance to bounce back and remind everyone why he remains one of the most coveted arms in baseball.