Twins Need More Than Just Joe Ryan's Return for Desperate Playoff Push

The Minnesota Twins are getting so close to having Joe Ryan back in their starting rotation, and he will be a welcome sight.

But, just getting him back won’t be enough. They need the version of him they saw early on in the year.

Reports have been saying that Ryan could potentially take the mound as early as Monday against the Detroit Tigers. He made his first rehab appearance for Triple-A St. Paul on Tuesday. Now he is expected to throw a bullpen session this weekend, and if everything goes as planned, Detroit could be the next stop.

The Twins need something to snap them out of the level of play they have been producing. In the last 10 games, they are just 4-6. The team has fallen to seven games behind the Chicago White Sox in the American League Central, which is likely untouchable.

The Wild Card race is still a possibility but it is going to take some work on Minnesota’s part and likely some luck.

Ryan could help.

Minnesota needs to see the pitcher who carried the rotation early in the season, not the one they saw right before he landed on the IL.

Joe Ryan Moving Toward Return

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ryan has been on the sidelines since early August with a mild left glute strain. His rehab outing provided quite a bit of optimism, though.

He allowed one run on just one hit over three innings for St. Paul. He struck out four without issuing a single walk. The right-hander threw 29 of his 42 pitches for strikes and struck out the side in his final inning.

It was initially thought that Ryan might make two rehab appearances, but the timeline looks to be accelerated. Manager Derek Shelton indicated that the Twins may see him on this current road trip.

The truth is, Minnesota needs him as soon as possible.

Twins Need Ryan

Looking across the stat line for Ryan explains why this team needs him back so badly.

At 30 years old, he is now 6-8 on the season with a 3.65 ERA and 1.14 WHIP across 23 starts. He has struck out 138 batters while giving up just 27 walks over 125.2 innings.

But, as usual, the numbers don’t tell the whole story.

Ryan was struggling before landing on the injured list. If you just look at the last seven starts before he was sidelined, he went 1-5. His ERA was 5.17 and 1.46 WHIP across 38.1 innings.

July was rough. He posted a 5.48 ERA over four starts allowing 27 hits and 14 earned runs in 23 innings.

Getting Ryan healthy is important and waiting for him to be ready is imperative but, they need more than his body on the mound. They need him to pitch like Joe Ryan again.

Ryan Could Be Difference Maker

The Twins situation isn’t hopeless, and Ryan doesn’t have to swoop in and single-handedly save the team.

He does have the ability though to change the makeup of the rotation at a time when every game they play carried weight.

It could be that Ryan’s return is coming at exactly the right time.

Add us as a preferred source on Google