DETROIT -- Joe Ryan would’ve liked different results, and certainly would like a couple of pitches back. But it’s hard to view his first game back after missing a month due to a left glute strain as anything but encouraging.
Ryan, activated from the injured list on Monday morning, pitched four innings in the Twins' 5-4 Labor Day loss to the Tigers at Comerica Park, and was charged with the loss. He allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits, striking out seven and walking one.
There was good and there was bad, but most of the bad could be chalked up to rust after Ryan had thrown just three competitive innings in the past five weeks. He felt like himself, he threw like himself and the quality of his pitches looked more like the pitcher who made the All-Star team with a great first half than the one who struggled through three subpar starts coming out of the break.
“Not even close -- I felt way better,” Ryan said, comparing this start to his previous one with Triple-A St. Paul. "I think just a couple of pitches I could have executed a little differently, maybe thrown a different pitch and gotten the hitter a little bit better, but [catcher Ryan] Jeffers did a great job behind the plate and had some good challenges. Really good game calling. We communicated well and made adjustments through the game and finished strong.”
Ryan hit two batters, including one with the bases loaded, and allowed a first-inning solo homer to Kevin McGonigle. But he also averaged 94 mph on his four-seam fastball, higher than his season average, and got 12 swinging strikes.
And some of the damage was not Ryan's fault. The third Tigers run scored on a fielder’s choice ball with the bases loaded when Royce Lewis’ throw drew Jeffers off the plate.
The right-hander threw 66 pitches, right around where the team had targeted for him, with a robust 46 (69.7 percent) going for strikes. Perhaps most encouraging, he retired the last eight batters he faced.
“I know he hit the two guys and walked a guy,” said manager Derek Shelton, “and I think we thought there was going to be some rust. But overall, for having one rehab start, as long as he was gone, I do think there were some positives in there in terms of how the stuff played.”
Ryan last pitched in the Majors in early August, turning in three straight subpar outings coming out of the All-Star break before he was placed on the IL. Not only were his performances uncharacteristic, his entire demeanor was. He seemed to be searching, even lost at times, as he couldn’t get his delivery where he wanted it.
Finally, he was placed on the IL with the glute strain. And though initial progress was slow and Ryan was not back as quickly as he had hoped, both his pitching and his carriage Monday looked like the Joe Ryan they’re used to seeing in the Twins' clubhouse.
“I thought mentally it looked like he was in the right spot,” Jeffers said. “His stuff is good, yes, we know that. But I think for him, it’s making sure he feels like he can go out there and compete in a healthy way. And I think he looked that today for sure.”
Ryan made only one rehab start, throwing 42 pitches plus another few in the bullpen after he came out of the game, before being activated. That led to the relatively tight pitch count for him on Monday, with Connor Prielipp following him in a piggyback role.
He’s likely to be stretched out further over his remaining starts, and there’s every reason to believe he can finish the season strong.
“It’s good to get some stuff dialed this week,” Ryan said. “We just felt like it took a turn and things went a lot better. Pregame, I knew it was going to be pretty good. The last couple days I just felt a lot more consistent, so that was really reassuring.”