The Minnesota Twins have put starting pitcher Joe Ryan on the 15-day injured list due to a severe muscle strain in his throwing shoulder. This injury comes at a tough time as the team is about to start a crucial homestand against two key division rivals and playoff contenders.
Ryan has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 strain of the teres major, a muscle running from the shoulder blade to the upper arm. Manager Rocco Baldelli said Ryan will be out for “weeks to months” but didn’t rule out the possibility of him returning this season.
Ryan, who has a 7-7 record with a 3.60 ERA and 147 strikeouts in 135 innings this season, felt pain and discomfort during his last start on Wednesday, leading to his early exit.
“It’s a punch in the gut,” Baldelli said. “It’s going to need time to heal up, and he’ll do everything he can to get himself right and get back, but this is going to be a little while.”
Ryan plans to get a second opinion before the team sets a recovery timeline, with less than seven weeks remaining in the regular season.
Meanwhile, starting pitcher Chris Paddack has been out for three weeks with a strained forearm, and his return is still uncertain. However, Derek Falvey, president of baseball operations, mentioned that Paddack might soon start a throwing program with hopes of returning before the end of the season.
The Twins chose not to acquire expensive starting pitchers before the trade deadline, so they now rely on two rookies, David Festa and Simeon Woods Richardson, to support Pablo López and Bailey Ober in the rotation.
“When you get to a deadline and things don’t work out the way you want, you know you’re going to have to lean on your internal guys,” Falvey said. “We believe a lot of our internal group is capable of stepping into these roles and can play a role for us down the stretch.”
Louie Varland was called up from Triple-A St. Paul to start the second game of the doubleheader against the Guardians, who entered the series with a 3½-game lead over the Twins in the division race.
“You’re never going to be like, ‘We’re going to make a trade because someone is going to go down,’ or, ‘We’re not going to make a trade because everyone is going to stay healthy,’” López said. “Obviously, hindsight is easier than foresight. It definitely makes it a little tougher.
Teams that get people at the deadline and go through this, they’re able to hold off a little longer.”
The Twins also placed rookie infielder Brooks Lee on the 10-day injured list due to right biceps tendinitis. Infielder Kyle Farmer, who had missed 18 games with a strained right shoulder, was activated early from his rehab assignment to replace Lee.
Reliever Scott Blewett was promoted from Triple-A St. Paul, and reliever Brock Stewart was moved to the 60-day injured list after being diagnosed with a condition that requires arthroscopic shoulder surgery, ending his season.
The Twins welcomed back center fielder Byron Buxton on Friday after he missed three games due to a back injury from a catch that involved a collision with the wall. However, All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa, who has been out for almost a month due to plantar fasciitis in his right foot, remained sidelined with no rehab assignment scheduled.
“I don’t know that we’re going to get to a place where he’s going to feel 100%, but you’re at a stage of the season where I’m not sure how many guys out there are actually 100%,” Falvey said.
“I think Carlos is going to figure out the right time for him. We just trust him so much around how he feels, what he can play through, what he can navigate through.”
Correa mentioned he has started sprinting without significant pain but will wait to see how his foot responds in the coming days to decide if he’s ready for the next step.
“We were hoping I would come back earlier than it’s taken,” Correa said. “At the same time, we’re doing what we can control and we’re working as hard as possible every single day to get back on the field.
There is nothing I want more than to be out there with the guys again. I’m looking forward to that day.”
