CHICAGO – Nothing is written in ink just yet, but it is likely that Joe Ryan’s next start will be for the Twins in Detroit.
Ryan threw a bullpen session Saturday prior to Minnesota’s game against the White Sox at Rate Field and felt good, clearing what is probably the final hurdle before he is reinstated from the 15-day injured list. The right-hander has been out since early August due to a left glute strain.
“I think we’ll wait and see where he’s at,” said manager Derek Shelton, “but I think there’s a good chance that his next start would be in the big leagues.”
No day has been announced for Ryan’s start, but it most likely would be Monday. The Twins typically have their pitchers throw a bullpen two days before their next scheduled start. Additionally, Monday would be rookie Connor Prielipp’s next rotation turn, and the club is working very hard to manage his workload. Starting Ryan on Monday would allow Minnesota to push Prielipp back one day or more.
Ryan was pleased with how the throw went. He threw between 25-30 pitches, a fairly typical between-starts bullpen, after pitching three innings in a rehab start for Triple-A St. Paul on Tuesday.
“It felt good to get out there,” Ryan said. “It felt better than ... I was throwing as hard as I was in the rehab game in the bullpen early. That's probably a good thing. … I just felt better on a couple of things I was trying to work on this week, and I was able to touch those. I was happy with that.”
Ryan pitched brilliantly in the first half of the season, going 6-5 with a 2.85 ERA in 20 starts and earning his second All-Star appearance, but he scuffled coming out of the break. After three consecutive subpar starts, he was placed on the IL.