TwinsFest is a time for Twins fans to get excited for the upcoming season. Games, activities, meet-and-greets all spell out for a fun time before Spring Training kicks in. Minnesota's annual fan festival takes place on January 23 and January 24 this season.
The club already had superstar Byron Buxton off the list of player appearances, which is a huge bummer. But it happens.
However, All-Star pitcher was originally on the list of players to appear at TwinsFest. Now, he's been removed from the list. What could that mean? There's a few things to consider.
Twins' Joe Ryan removed from list of players to appear at 2026 TwinsFest
Joe Ryan is not expected to attend TwinsFest, per a team source.
— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) January 13, 2026
Ryan has been removed from the lineup of Twins players scheduled to make an appearance.
For starters, the arbitration clash can be getting a bit harsh behind closed doors. These things tend to get personal and pushy, so who knows how that's going after Ryan filed for $6.35 million, opposing the Twins' $5.85 million entry. It's marginal, but these conversations get ugly when arbitration approaches.
Another thing to think about is whether the team is open to trading Ryan again. It was reported in December that Minnesota would not trade Ryan, among other star players, this offseason. But things change, right? Another team may have offered something way too good to immediately decline. But that's just all speculation.
The likeliest reason that Joe Ryan is not attending TwinsFest is due to the birth of his son. Ryan and his wife announced on Instagram in November that their son, Rowan was born. So, his son is not even two months old yet, meaning he probably wants to spend more time with his family before he heads off to Spring Training, then the marathon that is the regular season.
It's hard for someone to leave a recent newborn, so if Ryan has the decision to skip on TwinsFest, he should be able to by all means. And if this is the reason for him getting removed from the list, then fans would understand.
Hopefully, this is the case. We don't want Ryan to feel soured going into the new season after making his first trip to the All-Star Game in 2025. Ideally, the trade rumors are completely dead, and the arbitration is not going that bad during these private conversations. The Twins need Joe Ryan, and they need him happy. Missing out on a fan festival isn't the end of the world, but it sure does open up a line of questions.