Joe Ryan Is SCRATCHED and the Twins' Pitching Nightmare Just Got Real
Holy smokes, baseball fans, you absolutely gotta hear this! Just when you think you've seen it all, the Minnesota Twins pull a last-minute shocker that flips tonight's game on its head. Their ace right-hander, Joe Ryan, is getting scratched from his start against the loaded Los Angeles Dodgers tonight, all because of an illness. Can you believe it? Talk about a curveball nobody saw coming for the Twins' pitching plans, especially heading into a rematch!
Dodgers Dealing, But Their Depth Might Be Enough
The Dodgers are a star-studded squad, no doubt, but even they're not immune to the injury bug. Their skipper, Dave Roberts, sounds super impressed with his less-heralded guys stepping up, and honestly, they're going to need them again tonight in Minneapolis. Roberts called his team "resilient," saying health and performance are things they can't control, but the mindset is to keep moving forward. And that mindset? It's being tested hard right now.
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Outfielder Kyle Tucker had to bail on Monday's game with back spasms. Roberts saw him "wincing" and knew he couldn't risk putting him in "jeopardy." The good news is Roberts doesn't seem overly concerned, thinking Tucker won't need an IL stint, calling it "day-to-day." Sounds like Tucker has dealt with this before. But still, you don't want your guys playing hurt. Then there's catcher Dalton Rushing, who took a brutal foul tip off his mask. He's passed the initial concussion protocol, which is a relief, but he's gotta do it again in 24 hours, making him "pretty unlikely" to play tonight. Two key guys potentially out for a big game, man, that's rough.
Rookie Showdown on the Mound?
So, with Ryan out, the Twins are handing the ball to rookie left-hander Kendry Rojas. This is only going to be his second career start! The guy's got a 1-0 record with a 1.26 ERA and 14 Ks across 14 1/3 innings in his five total appearances. He's never faced the Dodgers, so this is a huge test for the young gun. You gotta wonder if he's ready for that kind of pressure against an offense like LA's.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers are sending out their own lefty, Justin Wrobleski, and this dude has been a beast. He's making his 13th start of the season and already racked up career highs in wins (8-2 record, by the way) and innings (79 1/3). His ERA is a sparkling 2.72. Last week, he shut down the Tampa Bay Rays for six scoreless innings, scattering just three hits, striking out five, and not walking a single batter. Pure dominance. He's also facing the Twins for the first time, but you gotta feel a lot better about his chances given his track record this season.
Twins manager Derek Shelton actually liked how his team played Monday despite the 2-1 loss, saying they "held a really powerful offense kind of at bay" and "hit some balls hard," but just couldn't find the holes. Well, with Ryan out and Wrobleski on the bump, finding those holes isn't going to get any easier tonight. This is shaping up to be a real test of depth and grit for both sides. Let's see who comes out on top!
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.