Joe Ryan Forces Fantasy Baseball Owners To Search the Waivers With This Injury Update

The Twins await MRI results for Joe Ryan, but he is expected to be out for a few weeks, if not longer.

May 3, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Joe Ryan (41) throws to the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images | Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

Joe Ryan entered the 2026 fantasy baseball season as the SP18. Early on, he has faltered below that status, but he remains a weekly must-start when healthy. Unfortunately, Ryan left Sunday's game against the Blue Jays after just two batters faced, citing right elbow soreness. The status of Ryan is now up in the air, with Ryan's fantasy baseball owners needing to pivot to replacement options on the waiver wire.

Fantasy Baseball Impact

The MRI results are awaited, so Ryan's spending timeline is very much up in the air. The thought is that Ryan will definitely go on the 15-Day IL, and the worst-case scenario could have him out for over one month. No matter what the result becomes, Ryan will be out, and it is now time for the 'Next Man Up' in fantasy baseball.

The waiver wire finds the following starting pitchers rising with value to be had:

Nick Martinez (53% Avail) — In 6 starts this season, Martinez's ERA is 1.70. He lacks strikeout value, but dominates in pitching thus far as a soft-contact pitcher.

Tomoyuki Sugano (87% Avail) — While risky as a subpar pitcher, Sugano will start 2 games this week, beginning at 5:40 PM ET on Monday. His ERA is 2.84 with 3 wins and 1 loss over 6 starts for the Rockies. He gets the Mets today, who have struggled big time in batting.

JR Ritchie (65% Avail) — The Braves will start their No. 2 prospect on Monday in Seattle. He has 2 starts in 2026 with a 2.92 ERA and 11 strikeouts over 12.1 IP. Ritchie pitches twice this week.

Joe Ryan Injury Outlook

If the MRI comes back clean, Ryan can still be expected to hit the 15-day IL and miss roughly 3 starts. If the MRI comes back positive, Ryan could be out for much longer, projecting a volatile timeline of 3-8 weeks. Most likely, the Twins would not see him back in the lineup until the season is 40% through.

Regardless of the result, Ryan has the ceiling of being a top-20 starting pitcher in fantasy baseball. He must hit your IL spot. If your team is thin and that timeline is stretched out, a drop of Ryan is not going to kill the season. Yet, it is not ideal, and any added replacement should come with long-term value rather than short-term. That could take your aim towards Carlos Rodon or Gerrit Cole, if available on waivers, due back to the Yankees in mid-late May.