FORT MYERS — Joe Ryan’s spring training ramp-up will continue in Twins camp, but his World Baseball Classic debut with Team USA will wait at least a little longer.
Twins GM Jeremy Zoll said Sunday that Ryan will not participate in the WBC pool play round (or the exhibition games leading into it), but will be eligible to join Team USA later in the tournament if the Americans advance.
Zoll described the decision as a collaborative one involving Ryan, his agent, Team USA, and the Twins, emphasizing that the goal is to make the “smartest and best” choice for everyone while keeping a close eye on how things look once pool play concludes.
Ryan’s build-up after a scratched start last weekend appears to be back on track. Ryan said he’s been feeling “really good all week,” and threw a bullpen session on Saturday. He said the session shifted from delivery-focused cues into more pure execution as the session progressed. He said a few things still need refining, but he was pleased with how his work translated. “I felt really good about it,” he reflected.
His next steps are lined up: another live session in the coming days and then hopefully a game appearance after that. Whether or not he joins Team USA depends on how those go, and what their needs are as they (hopefully) advance to elimination rounds.
Byron Buxton, who left today to join Team USA, said yesterday that his understanding is that Ryan is “in a great spot” based on what they’ve discussed. He added that while Ryan wants to be with Team USA, “we also know what’s important and what’s at stake,” and he expects Ryan to join the team at some point.
What’s at stake for the Twins is pretty simple: they can’t afford to have setbacks with Ryan’s timeline, because the rotation has already taken hits and the margin for error is shrinking fast. With Pablo López lost to Tommy John and Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober, and David Festa already needing early-spring monitoring and modified build-ups, the Twins’ best-case scenario is getting to Opening Day with as many dependable, prepared starters as possible.