Ryan embracing 'new chapter' on first Father's Day as a dad

This story was excerpted from Matthew Leach’s Twins Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Twins fans have seen Joe Ryan grow up on the baseball field, from prospect to promising young starter to staff ace and one of the best pitchers in the American League. Along the way, he’s honed his craft, showing himself to be someone who thinks extensively about pitching and has learned a great deal about how his body and delivery work.

That’s not the only way Ryan has evolved, though. While “The Joe Ryan Experience” can still feature some entertaining expressions on the mound, there’s no doubt that the now 30-year-old right-hander has grown up quite a bit in recent years. That’s true on the mound, where he keeps his composure better than at times in the past, and it’s extremely true off the mound.

Driving that home this past offseason was the arrival of baby Rowan, the first child of Ryan and his fiancée, Clare Stonich. As he comes to his first Father’s Day as a dad, Ryan acknowledges that even a few years ago he might not have been as ready for fatherhood as he is now.

“Understanding the game, understanding what it takes to do this on a larger scale and being able to find support in areas that we need it, on and off the field, the years, I think it would’ve been too much for me,” Ryan said. “I mean, you’re always going to make it work. But I think we’re in a good spot, and we’re enjoying the time and enjoying where we’re at. It’s been great.”

Ryan isn’t especially focused on Father’s Day, specifically. For one thing, he didn’t wake up in his own bed. He’s in Phoenix with the Twins, while mom and baby are back home in the Twin Cities -- though of course the team is coming home on Sunday evening. But the occasion has afforded him some time for reflection.

“Obviously, being the first one, it’s special,” he said. “I had my 30th birthday last week. I feel like since we found out we were having a baby and that I was going to be a dad, that’s obviously probably the biggest change in my life, ever. So, I think there’s a lot of thunder that brought in the best way. I think maybe a lot of those emotions have come and gone in a sense.”

Becoming a parent brings perspective for just about anyone, as they realize that so many things that seem important are less so than maybe they first seemed. It’s brought something else for Ryan: appreciation.

“I've embraced the new chapter and am loving it,” he said, “So I think it’s just a celebration of, kind of, what’s already happened in this last year. How fatherhood has gone and what a blessing it’s been. I guess I’m not, like, thinking about the significance of the day. It’s exciting to think about all the fathers on both sides of my family and what they’ve been able to do for me. I hope I can provide that sense of comfort, stability and support for my children.”