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Twins get bad news on pitchers Joe Ryan, Brock Stewart

john shipley, pioneer press
·4 min read

After a day off Thursday, the Twins absorbed a lot of news before starting a crucial doubleheader against the first-place Cleveland Guardians on Friday at Target Field.

Most of the news was bad.

Specifically, right-hander Joe Ryan was placed on the 15-day injured list with a Grade 2 strain to his teres major, a slim muscle on the inside of the shoulder. An MRI revealed the injury on Thursday.

The Twins had hoped the injury, initially diagnosed as a triceps strain, would be something short-term. Instead, manager Rocco Baldelli said, recovery will be more in the “weeks to months” range.

“Joe has a legitimate strain and it’s something that has to heal,” Baldelli said. “It’s going to need time to heal up, and he’ll do everything he can to get himself right and get back, but this is going to be a little while.”

To take his place on the active roster, the Twins selected the contract of right-hander Scott Blewett from Triple-A St. Paul. Blewett, 28, hasn’t pitched in the majors since making three relief appearances for Kansas City in 2021. Signed to a minor league contract in January, he was 5-2 with a 3.66 ERA in 36 appearances (three starts) with the Saints.

“Joe’s going to get a second opinion,” the manager added. “We’re very early in this, but we know what the MRI says so we’re going to have to see how the coming weeks go before we can know anything, probably.”

Surgery for Stewart

More bad news, if not unexpected, Brock Stewart — a lights-out reliever for Minnesota when healthy the past two seasons — will have arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder Tuesday in Cincinnati and miss the rest of the season.

“Getting it cleaned up,” he said. “Five-, six-month recovery, so I’ll be good to go for spring training.”

It’s a difficult blow for the right-hander whose career has been hijacked by injuries. He was moved to the 60-day injured list for the third time since he was called up to the Twins last season.

“Obviously angry, frustrated, all those emotions,” he said. “I wish this season went differently. I wish I was helping out way more. But also, kind of relieved to know that it’s going to be fixed and I have a clean slate for next season. Just keep going.”

Correa not ready

Derek Falvey, the Twins’ president of baseball operations, said it’s unlikely All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa will be fully recovered from plantar fasciitis in his right foot before he returns to play for the first time since July 12.

“I think that’s unfortunately the reality of plantar fasciitis,” Falvey said. “I don’t know if we’ll be able to get it to a place where he’s a 100%, but we’re at a stage of the season where I’m not sure how many guys actually are a 100%.”

Correa was sidelined by plantar fasciitis in his left foot around this time last season and spent less time recovering. He returned to play well in the postseason, but the Twins want to get him to a better spot that he was last year.

The shortstop said the foot bothers him at the plate and in the field.

“Right now, I don’t feel I can be good for our pitchers out there at shortstop,” Correa said. “Hitting, I could hit the ball; the running part would be a problem. I want to make sure that when I come back I don’t … go back on the IL, (that) I’m back to stay with the team for the rest of the year and hopefully playoffs.”

Topa not ready, either

The Twins recalled Blewett because Justin Topa, a veteran right-hander acquired in the trade that sent Jorge Polanco to Seattle in January, isn’t ready to return from a long rehab assignment. He’s on the 60-day IL with tendinitis in his left knee.

“He’s had some moments of fatigue, arm fatigue,” Falvey said. “So, slow down and kind of pick back up. We’re going to continue to do the same. We’re going to make sure he gets another outing there and see how he responds and how he progresses.”

Topa has been on the IL since before the season started. He has a 2.00 ERA in nine appearances with the Saints, with 13 strikeouts, three walks and seven hits allowed.

Briefly

Rookie Brooks Lee, whose defense and switch-hitting had found him a consistent spot in the lineup, was placed on the 10-day injured list with biceps tendinitis. To take Lee’s place on the active roster, the Twins activated infielder Kyle Farmer from the injured list. …Oakdale’s Louie Varland was recalled from St. Paul as the 27th man for Friday’s doubleheader and will start Game 2. … Infield prospect Luke Keaschall, who is hitting .303 with 15 home runs, 48 RBIs and 23 stolen bases at two levels of the minors will have season-ending Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, Falvey said. He is expected to be ready for spring training.

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