The Twins’ path to October, and any hope of doing damage once they get there, may run straight through Joe Ryan.
Minnesota got the kind of version of Ryan it has come to expect in the first half of the season. Before the All-Star break, he looked like one of the better arms in baseball, putting together a 2.85 ERA, a 1.05 WHIP and 128 strikeouts over 110 1/3 innings.
After that, the tone changed fast. Ryan stumbled to a 9.39 ERA in 15 1/3 innings over three starts following the break, then landed on the injured list Aug. 7 with a left glute strain.
That split is nothing new for Ryan. Across his big-league career, he has been far better before the break than after it.
In the first half, he owns a 3.17 ERA over 516 2/3 innings. In the second half, that number jumps to 5.00 across 250 1/3 innings.
For the Twins, the timing could hardly be more important. The postseason race is crowded, and Minnesota sits right in the middle of it.
The Twins are 63-66, tied with the Cleveland Guardians and 1.0 game back in the AL Wild Card chase. The Texas Rangers are also at 64-65, while the Toronto Blue Jays sit 1.5 games back, the Baltimore Orioles 2.0 back, the Detroit Tigers 2.5 back and the Seattle Mariners 3.0 back.
The New York Yankees lead the group at 73-55, with the Boston Red Sox at 69-59.
There’s still a division path, too, even if it’s a steep one. Minnesota is 4 1/2 games behind the Chicago White Sox in the American League Central, but the Twins have six games left against Chicago. That leaves them with some control over how the race unfolds.
If the Twins are going to push their way into the postseason, they probably need Ryan to steady the rotation again. And if they get there, they may need him even more.
In a playoff series, Minnesota would likely turn to Ryan as its No. 1 starter. The format in both the Wild Card and Divisional rounds calls for a three-man rotation, which would put Taj Bradley in line as the No. 2 starter. The third spot would come down to who finishes the season strongest, though Dean Kremer is currently the leading candidate.
That’s the bigger picture for Minnesota: Ryan isn’t just important to getting to October. He may be the difference between a short stay and a real run if the Twins can get there at all.
In Other News...
Twins Fans Should Be Careful Before Regretting This Pitching Move
Simeon Woods Richardsons path has become one of those small roster decisions that can linger around a season. The Twins designated him in late May and later sent him to Toronto for cash, and he has looked sharp enough since then to catch the eye, turning in a 0.55 ERA over six games for the Blue Jays. But the underlying picture is less tidy, with a high walk rate and a low BABIP hinting that the results may not be quite as stable as they first appear.
Minnesota also had a chance to circle back when Toronto designated him for assignment, and it passed. That call looks a little less dramatic now because the Twins have since bolstered their bullpen with other additions, giving them more relief depth without needing to revisit the old move. It is the kind of transaction that can tempt second-guessing in the moment, but the broader roster context makes the regret a bit harder to justify. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Pitching Depth Takes Another Hit With Rojas In Trouble
The Twins pitching depth took another hit this week when Kendry Rojas was placed on the minor league injured list with an oblique strain. Rojas had to leave his start for Triple-A St. Paul after just one inning, adding another layer of concern to a pitching group that has already been stretched by injuries and roster shuffling as Minnesota tries to stay in the playoff race.
Rojas setback matters because the Twins have been leaning on every bit of organizational depth they can find, and this is the kind of injury that can linger and complicate a pitchers timeline. With the season now in jeopardy for one of their upper-level arms, Minnesota is left trying to patch together innings while the bigger-picture pressure keeps building. [Read more 🡒]
Former Twin Is Making Minnesota's Trade Look Worse By The Week
Ty France has quietly turned into one of the better value stories in the National League, and his latest stretch is only making Minnesotas decision look rougher. After a down offensive season sent him to San Diego on a minor-league deal, he has become one of the Padres most productive players and has even climbed to the top of the clubs offensive leaderboard in several key categories.
For the Twins, the hard part is how directly Frances resurgence ties back to their own trade chain. Minnesota dealt him to Toronto in 2025 before the Padres landed him, and now San Diego is getting strong production from a player making just $1.35 million this year. In a game where roster decisions are judged almost immediately, France is becoming the kind of former Twin who keeps the second-guessing alive. [Read more 🡒]