Twins Territory was in panic mode yesterday when Minnesota scratched starting pitcher Joe Ryan from his scheduled spring training start against the Boston Red Sox due to low back tightness in his right side. With Pablo López slated to undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery on Wednesday, losing Ryan to the IL would've left the Twins without a true ace in their starting rotation.
Luckily, Twins fans no longer need to worry about Ryan's injury status. The Athletic's Dan Hayes reported Sunday morning that Ryan underwent an MRI, which showed only inflammation. Phew!
Joe Ryan avoided worst-case scenario after being stratched from first spring training start
Joe Ryan: "I didn't do any deep dives and don't have Twitter. ... I'm sorry to scare everyone."#MNTwins
— DanHayesMLB (@DanHayesMLB) February 22, 2026
As long as Ryan, who had a 3.42 ERA with 194 strikeouts and 39 walks over 171 innings last season, remains healthy, he'll be the Twins' No. 1 starter in 2026. Bailey Ober will be the No. 2, and Simeon Woods Richardson and Taj Bradley will likely be the No. 3 and No. 4. The No. 5 starter position has yet to be determined, with Zebby Matthews and Mick Abel likely competing for the role this spring. David Festa is also an option, but there's a good chance the Twins plan to convert him to a reliever. Minnesota may also start the season with a six-man rotation.
Without Ryan, the rotation would've been a mess. Ober has had success in the past, but he struggled significantly last year, posting a 5.10 ERA. Ober could bounce back, but it'd be difficult to be confident in a rotation that has him as the No. 1.
Joe Ryan's WBC status still in jeopardy after MRI showed no serious injury
Ryan is slated to be part of Team USA's starting rotation for the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC). Once the Twins scratched him from his scheduled start on Saturday, many immediately thought it meant the ace would no longer be pitching in the highly anticipated tournament.
Even with Ryan's MRI revealing no significant back injury, the ace's WBC status remains in jeopardy. Team USA begins WBC play on Friday, March 6. The Twins may want to keep Ryan out of the tournament and gradually ease him back into pitching regularly due to his back inflammation. Ryan may also feel it's best to withdraw from the tournament. It's also possible Ryan could be denied insurance to compete in the tournament now.
It'd be disappointing to see Ryan have to back out of the tournament, but he should prioritize his health. If Ryan can't compete in the WBC, Twins fans rooting for Team USA will at least get to watch star center fielder Byron Buxton represent his home country in the tournament.