MINNEAPOLIS – It took about an inning, but the real Joe Ryan returned for his final start of the year on Friday night.
Ryan turned in his best start in more than two months, bringing a strange, up-and-down but certainly memorable season to a close as the Twins beat the Rangers, 10-2, at Target Field. For Ryan, who earned an All-Star spot and arguably pitched like a Cy Young candidate in the first half, closing the second half with a vintage performance brought a mixture of satisfaction and relief.
The right-hander had struggled with both health and effectiveness throughout the second half, spending time on the injured list and going nearly 12 weeks without a win. But in his final start of the year, he looked like the pitcher who carved up opponents from March through June.
“I think you're excited to win the game in the moment,” he said, “and then you're like, 'Damn, I wish this could [have been] happening over the last month or so.’ … That would have been nice to just be playing good baseball, and so I think it's tough when it's not falling where you want it. Recognize the positives, you can't just dwell on everything, but at the same time just wish I could have put it together a little bit more."
Complicating those emotions further is the fact that it could have been Ryan’s last start not just of the year, but as a Twin. As the offseason looms, he’s one year away from free agency and likely to receive a raise over his $6.1 million salary in 2026. Ryan has a mutual option for 2027 at $13 million that is unlikely to be exercised.
His name appeared in trade rumors at the 2025 Trade Deadline and last winter, and surely will again this offseason as Minnesota ponders the best use of resources and roster spots. Ryan is one of at least eight candidates for the 2027 starting rotation.
So, a pitcher who has never made a Major League appearance for any other team enters a winter of uncertainty. On top of that, it’s distinctly possible that this was his last time pitching to Ryan Jeffers, who has caught nearly half of his 141 career Major League appearances. Jeffers is a free agent at the end of the season, so even if Ryan isn’t traded, it could very well be the last iteration of what has been an extremely successful pairing.
“[I] see how things have gone in the past, and it's probably the last time we'll work together,” Ryan said. “Who knows? Hopefully we play a lot longer and get to cross paths again, but it's been a really fun time with him. He's been consistent and great at what he does. He's going to make a lot of people really happy.”
In the meantime, though, Ryan had a job to do on Friday, and he did it well. He had shown flashes since coming back from the injured list in early September, but had yet to put it all together in the kind of strong start he’s known for. Ryan entered the game with a 7.62 second-half ERA this year. But after a shaky first in which he allowed two runs on two hits and two hit batters, he settled in and looked like himself.
“Very big,” said manager Derek Shelton of Ryan’s performance. “Number one, for him to finish healthy and for him to finish with a really quality start. In the first inning, it looked like he struggled a little bit with his command. And then overall, he executed really well. Big for him, and big for us as a club. When you come into a situation like this … we’re playing for something. And when you put your ace up there and he goes out and does what he does, I think it shows how important these games are to us.”