KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Right-hander Joe Ryan is heading to the injured list after the Twins’ team doctor performed an MRI and diagnosed a mild left glute strain on Thursday in Minneapolis.
Ryan, who struggled for the third straight start in the series opener against the Kansas Royals on Tuesday, showed diminished velocity and poor location with his fastball. Ryan said he couldn’t properly replicate his delivery, but he couldn’t pinpoint why.
Tightness near his lower back and glute muscle is the “why.”
Twins manager Derek Shelton said he was encouraged that it was “nothing serious,” and relieved that Dr. Chris Camp could pinpoint the reason why Ryan has struggled.
“When I hear the word ‘mild,’ I get to take a deep breath and feel good about it,” Shelton said.
Ryan had a 2.85 ERA at the all-star break, but he’s allowed 16 earned runs — including seven home runs — in his past three starts dating to July 20. The bad stretch bloated his ERA to 3.65.
Shelton said the medical staff told him Ryan’s injury is not related to a similar-sounding one he had in Spring Training.
Right-hander Zebby Matthews, who has been rostered with Triple-A St. Paul but hasn’t pitched since he was with the Twins a week ago, is the likely candidate to be called up to pitch Friday night against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Twins probably will push left-hander Connor Prielipp, who was the original starter for Friday, to the weekend.
Matthews has a 5.22 ERA in 14 starts with the Twins, but he struck out 10 batters and allowed three runs in five innings in his previous outing against the Seattle Mariners on July 31. Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers said it’s nice to have someone like Matthews ready to go in a pinch.
“He’s had some bad luck at times, but also like, he’s shown the glimpses of punching out 10 like the other day,” Jeffers said. “We believe in him.”
Matthews was sent down when the Twins acquired left-hander A.J. Minter before the trade deadline, which typically means he’d have to wait 15 days to return because of league rules. But because they are putting Ryan on the IL, they can use a loophole to bring Matthews back immediately.
Buck’s been around
Center fielder Byron Buxton has been with the club on the road trip as he nurses a right hip impingement. Buxton said he’s working on isometric and weight exercises but is still a little bit away from having a clear idea when he’ll return. He’s been on the IL since July 29.
“Being a teammate is my biggest thing,” Buxton said. “I just want to make sure I’m here for the guys.”
Minnesota Twins’ Byron Buxton (25) advances towards first base after hitting a single in the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Tuesday, July 28, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Joseph Scheller)
It’s atypical for an injured player to stray from the home ballpark during recovery — sometimes they don’t want to get in the way of the athletic training staff — but Buxton wanted to stick close to his guys. This way, if teammates need his advice or company, he’s there in person to provide it.
“They might need something,” Buxton said. “And if I’m not here, I can’t give it to them.”
Shelton said he liked the idea of having Buxton around because it’s “Buck’s team.”
“Having him around during the trade deadline, being here with us, it’s been really important,” Shelton said. “He’s part of the group. He can have an impact in different ways when he’s not playing the game.”