Twins and Joe Ryan Settle for 2026, Avoid Arbitration Hearing

Ryan is under contract at $6.1 million for this season, with a mutual option for 2027.

Sep 26, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Ryan (41) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

All-Star pitcher Joe Ryan's arbitration dispute with the Twins was set to go to a hearing on Tuesday. That hearing will no longer take place, as the two sides have settled on a $6.1 million contract for 2026, according to multiple reports.

Ryan and the Twins reportedly had a $500K gap in their price points before the arbitration deadline earlier this month. The Twins offered $5.85 million, while Ryan asked for $6.35 million. Ultimately, the number they've settled on is directly in the middle of those two figures.

This agreement comes out to $6.2 million in total, as it also includes a $100K buyout on a $13 million mutual option for 2027. Ryan will be arbitration-eligible for the third and final time in 2027, and it seems rather unlikely the Twins would pick up their side of the mutual option and more than double his salary. So they'll presumably pay the $100K buyout and the two sides will go back to arbitration once more.

What matters most is that Ryan is now locked in for the 2026 season. He was one of just 18 arb-eligible players to not reach a deal at the deadline earlier this month, but no hearing will be required. The Twins previously reached arbitration agreements with Ryan Jeffers, Royce Lewis, Cole Sands, Trevor Larnach, Bailey Ober, and Alex Jackson.

Ryan, 29, made his first All-Star team last season and finished the year 13-10 with a 3.42 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, and 194 strikeouts in 171 innings. He was one of five MLB pitchers with at least 190 strikeouts and fewer than 40 walks, with the others being Tarik Skubal, Sonny Gray, Bryan Woo, and Zack Wheeler.

Ryan has been with the Twins since he was acquired in a July 2021 trade that sent Nelson Cruz and Calvin Faucher to the Rays. Ryan has pitched in 115 regular season games for the Twins and has a 3.79 career ERA.

Heading into the 2026 season, the Twins' starting rotation projects to once again be among the strengths of their roster. Ryan and Pablo Lopez are the leaders of a group that also includes Bailey Ober and a host of intriguing starters in their mid-20s (Simeon Woods Richardson, Zebby Matthews, Mick Abel, Taj Bradley, David Festa).

Ryan's name came up quite a bit in trade talks when the Twins were in the middle of their fire sale before last summer's deadline. If the team struggles again in 2026, those conversations will likely pick up again. But for now, the Twins hope Ryan is a big piece of a successful bounce-back season for the club. A possible contract extension could be something they discuss next offseason, if there's room within the future budget.

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