Joe Ryan played catch yesterday after being scratched from Saturday's start vs. Red Sox
Twins manager Derek Shelton told reporters, including MLB.com's Matthew Leach, that Ryan played catch from 90 feet on Tuesday morning.
Ryan was scratched from his scheduled start on Saturday with low back tightness. Luckily, an MRI revealed he's only dealing with inflammation.
Unless the inflammation unexpectedly gets worse, Ryan should be ready for the regular season and will presumably start Opening Day against the Baltimore Orioles.
Ryan is slated to be part of Team USA's starting rotation for the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), which begins in a couple of weeks. Unfortunately, Ryan's spot on the team is now in jeopardy. The Twins may no longer want Ryan to compete in the tournament, and Ryan may feel the same way. It's also possible Ryan could be denied insurance to compete in the tournament.
Former Cub Julian Merryweather leaves first spring training appearance with Twins due to left hamstring strain
After collecting a walk and a strikeout, Merryweather left his Twins spring training debut with a left hamstring strain on Tuesday, according to The Minnesota Star Tribune's Bobby Nightengale.
If Merryweather, who signed a minor-league deal with Minnesota earlier this month, misses significant time, it'll be a brutal blow for the former Cub. The only Twins relievers pretty much guaranteed Opening Day roster spots are Taylor Rogers, Anthony Banda, Justin Topa and Cole Sands. It appeared Merryweather had a solid shot at making the Opening Day roster, but if he has to miss time due to his hamstring strain, which is likely, then his odds significantly decrease. If he lands on the IL, he will more than likely have to pitch in the minors for a while when he returns, and wait for a bullpen spot on the Twins' big-league roster to open up.
David Festa "gradually ramping up" after ending 2025 season on IL
Nightengale reported that Festa is "gradually ramping up" after ending last season on the IL. He landed on the IL with shoulder inflammation in late July. He was on track to return to the team in September before being diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome. Luckily, the righty received Botox injections instead of undergoing surgery.
Festa threw live batting practice last weekend, per Nightengale. His fastball sat in the low-90s. His fastball averaged 94.1 mph last season, but he'll likely gradually get his velocity back the more he throws.
Festa is likely competing for the Twins' final rotation spot with Mick Abel and Zebby Matthews. Many believe Festa is best suited for a relief role at this point in his career, but a strong spring could change that narrative.