Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images
It’s a dangerous season to be a Minnesota Twins starting pitcher right now. Before the season even started, they lost Pablo Lopez (Tommy John surgery) and David Festa (right shoulder impingement).
A month later, rookie phenom Mick Abel (right elbow inflammation) joined them. All three remain on the IL, and it looks like it stay that way for a while, after Abel suffered a setback this week during a bullpen session.
Oh, and the MN Twins have almost lost Joe Ryan a couple times too, only to have further testing reveal no significant injury. It first happened early in Spring Training, when a lower back injury caused him to miss a couple weeks of Grapefruit League, and the WBC.
He returned in plenty of time for his Opening Day start, though. Then, it happened again last weekend, when he exited his most recent start with a sore elbow, after facing just two batters. Thankfully, an MRI showed no significant damage, and now he’s back on the bump today in Cleveland.
Twins Vs. Guardians (Ryan Vs. Bibee)
Joe Ryan⬇️
• 3.72 ERA vs 3.13 xERA in 38.2 IP — trending better
• 25.5 K%, 24.5 Whiff%, 6.4 BB%
Tanner Bibee⬇️
• 4.58 ERA / 4.13 xERA in 39.1 IP — mild positive regression
• 20.9 K%, 27.0 Whiff%, 9.3 BB%
• Twins IL: Gabriel Arias
— KCLuke (@KCLuke) May 9, 2026
Unfortunately, Minnesota’s injury issues in the starting rotation have helped lead to a porous 16-23 record to start the season. And now, their pitching issues just got much worse.
Taj Bradley latest Twins pitcher to go on IL
Acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays last summer for Griffin Jax, Taj Bradley has been far and away the MN Twins’ best starter out of the 2026 regular season gates, posting a 2.87 ERA (3.51 FIP) with 52 strikeouts and 17 walks in his first 47.0 innings pitched.
In his last outing (Tuesday), Bradley threw six innings against the Washington Nationals, in a Twins win, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits with 8 strikeouts and 2 walks (96 pitches). On Saturday, however, Bradley unexpectedly became the last latest Minnesota Twins starter to go on the injured list (pectoral muscle inflammation).
Taj Bradley is going on the IL with right pec muscle inflammation. #MNTwins are promoting Travis Adams.
— DanHayesMLB (@DanHayesMLB) May 9, 2026
Bradley’s next scheduled start was Sunday. Travis Adams — who was injured to start the year and has thrown just six innings in five games since returning to Triple-A St. Paul — is being promoted to take Bradley’s roster spot in the MN Twins rotation. He has also allowed six runs (9.00 ERA) on nine hits with a 7/3 K/BB.
Last season Adams made his big league debut and threw 33 2/3 innings primarily out of Minnesota’s bullpen. He’s never really been used as a traditional starter, at the big league level, and isn’t built up for that kind of workload.
Not only is this horrible news for Taj Bradley. The 24-year-old flamethrowing righty is in the midst of a breakout season — his fourth in the big leagues. But the Twins are literally running out of pitchers to put on the mound, and we all know the Pohlads aren’t going to go out and pay for more.
Taj Bradley, K’ing the Side in the 3rd pic.twitter.com/rJeILGx4e2
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 28, 2026
Minnesota Twins rotation in complete shambles
The Minnesota Twins already have one of the worst bullpens (29th in ERA, 30th in opponent AVG) in baseball, and now they are running out of legitimate big league starters too.
Ryan is still the staff ace, at least for now, but the Twins have to protect him coming off an elbow scare. Meanwhile, Bailey Ober and Simeon Woods Richardson are the only other veterans, and both have been struggling of late.
Connor Prielipp, Nasty 87mph Changeup. 👌 pic.twitter.com/fmcGlULZSf
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 2, 2026
Rookie Connor Prielipp has held his own with a 3.32 ERA (4.40 FIP) through his first four starts, but he’s gone just 19 total innings. From there, answers become virtually non-existent.
John Klein was just optioned back to Triple-A, but had been starting for the Saints. Andrew Morris is working out of the bullpen, and presumably could take a spot. Zebby Matthews is an option to promote from St. Paul, but he hasn’t been impressive with the Saints either.
During Spring Training the common refrain was that the MN Twins had starting pitching depth. Most of that has been needed for the bullpen, and now it’s all but been exhausted right when it is needed most.
Mentioned in this article: Injured List injury updates Taj Bradley
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