Minnesota Twins fans are wondering when they will improve their starting rotation but the top feels pretty good thanks to Joe Ryan.
Ryan had a strong season for the Twins in 2024, going 7-7 with a 3.60 ERA in 23 starts but MLB.com believes that the 28-year-old could reach another level by earning Cy Young Award votes in 2025.
The prediction comes from a piece where MLB.com writers made one prediction for each team heading into next season. If their prediction comes true, it could allow Ryan to become the Twins’ first Cy Young Award winner since Johan Santana in 2006.
Joe Ryan could contend for the Cy Young Award in 2025
Ryan’s overall stats weren’t the best of his career as he went 13-8 with a 3.55 ERA in 27 starts for the Twins in 2022. But Ryan’s peripherals suggest he made some of the biggest strides of his career last season.
According to Baseball Savant, Ryan’s career-low 4.3 percent walk rate was in the 96th percentile of MLB starters last season and his 2.87 expected ERA was in the 91st percentile. Ryan’s 30.1 percent chase rate was also the second-highest of his career behind a 32.9 percent chase rate in 2023 and his 26.2 percent whiff rate was also second behind a 26.8 percent rate the previous season.
It’s a great development for a pitcher acquired in a 2021 trade that sent Nelson Cruz to the Tampa Bay Rays. While Ryan was learning to pitch through ups and downs in his first two major league seasons, he felt like he was getting the hang of it before suffering a teres major strain that ended his season in August.
KSTP-TV’s Darren Wolfson reported that Ryan was “ahead of schedule” in his recovery from the shoulder injury. If that happens without any setbacks, Ryan will team with Pablo López, who continues to be the subject of trade rumors but is likely to be the Twins’ Opening Day starter and Bailey Ober who had his breakout in 2024.
It would also be great news for the bottom of the Twins rotation which is currently counting on David Festa, Simeon Woods Richardson and Zebby Matthews. While Chris Paddack could also be in the mix, trade rumors continue to circle the right-hander as the Twins look to get their payroll around $130 million for next season.
But the key piece here is Ryan. If he can stay healthy there’s a good chance he could be a dark horse for the Cy Young Award and become the third winner in team history along with Frank Viola (1988) and Santana (2004, 2006).