It took only nine pitches for the Minnesota Twins to face another unexpected injury to a key starter. Joe Ryan, the All-Star right-hander serving as a primary starter in the rotation, struck out Yohendrick Piñango and walked Kazuma Okamoto before he was removed from the mound. He signaled to the dugout, called catcher Victor Caratini to the mound, and was quickly removed from the game.
The visual on the scoreboard told part of the story. Ryan’s final pitch was a 90.9 mph fastball—a reading that MLB Trade Rumors noted was a couple of ticks down from his season average. For a pitcher whose velocity had already dipped 1.1 mph from last season, the dip was a warning sign that materialized into a trainer’s visit.
Manager Derek Shelton confirmed the nature of the exit during an in-game interview, noting that Ryan had identified the problem immediately.
“He walked out and said he felt something in his elbow,” Derek Shelton, Twins Manager
Shelton described the timing as unfortunate, especially this early in the game
, but expressed hope that Ryan is in a good spot
.
A recurring struggle with availability
For Ryan, this is not an isolated incident, but the most recent injury to impact his availability. While he has largely avoided significant arm trouble in the past, he has dealt with various ailments that have interrupted his time on the mound. This is the second time in a little over two months that Ryan has been sidelined by an unexpected ailment; on Feb. 21, he exited his first scheduled spring training start due to lower back tightness.
The pattern extends further back. According to The New York Times, Ryan missed the final 49 games of the 2024 season after suffering a Grade 2 teres major strain in his throwing shoulder during an August start in Chicago. That injury was severe enough to sideline him for two months, though it did not require surgery.
The irony is that Ryan spent the 2025 season proving exactly why the Twins view him as indispensable. He produced the best year of his career, posting a 13-10 record with a 3.42 ERA over 171 innings and striking out 194 batters to earn his first All-Star selection. Coming off that peak, Ryan entered the 2026 season with a 3.76 ERA through seven starts, keeping the ball in the yard better than usual by permitting only three home runs in 38 1/3 innings.
The rotation domino effect
The Twins are losing a key member of their starting rotation. The departure of Ryan leaves a gap in a rotation that has already seen significant losses. The most severe blow came in February when co-ace Pablo López suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament, leading to season-ending Tommy John surgery.
With López out for the year, the pressure shifted to the rest of the staff, only for Mick Abel to be sidelined with elbow inflammation. While MLB.com reports that Abel is making good progress in his recovery, his absence has left the Twins’ depth chart dangerously thin.
When a rotation anchor like Ryan exits a game after two batters, the burden doesn’t just fall on the bullpen for that specific afternoon—it cascades down to the organization’s youngest arms. The Twins have already been forced to give prospects like Connor Prielipp his first taste of Major League action due to the mounting injuries. Kendry Rojas has also received a brief look, and the current situation suggests he may be recalled to the big leagues if Ryan requires a stint on the injured list.
Evaluating the replacement options
In the immediate wake of Ryan’s exit, Andrew Morris entered the game in relief. Morris is now a primary candidate to slide into a rotation spot if a permanent replacement is needed, though the Twins may prefer to keep him in the bullpen where he has shown impressive flashes
.
Another option is Zebby Matthews. Matthews, who saw time in the rotation during 2024 and 2025, has recently found his rhythm in Triple-A St. Paul, turning in three consecutive strong starts after a difficult beginning to the year. His availability provides a potential safety net, but relying on a Triple-A call-up to replace an All-Star is a gamble no manager enjoys.
The uncertainty of the current moment is the most taxing part for the club. There is a vast difference between elbow soreness
and the season-ending surgery that claimed Pablo López. Until the evaluation is complete, the Twins must manage their rotation without knowing the exact timeline for Ryan’s return.
For now, the organization is left to manage a staff that ranks ninth in ERA but is missing its most consistent arms. The pressure on prospects like Prielipp and Rojas is no longer theoretical; it is a necessity born of a medical ward that has become too crowded for comfort.
