Minnesota Twins DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

Minnesota Twins right-hander Joe Ryan, who has been criticized for relying too much on his fastball at times, displayed a new sinker in his Grapefruit League debut on Friday. Ryan threw five different pitches -- a four-seam fastball, a sweeper, splitter, a "shorter slider," and his new sinker. "It kind of just gives me the options now to throw whatever I want and whatever a lineup might dictate," Ryan said. "Just put a little indecision in the hitters' heads, and I think that always helps." The 27-year-old mostly relied on his four-seamer, sweeper and splitter in 2023, and he mostly used his fastball and splitter in his complete-game shutout of Boston on June 22. Ryan was great to start last year but fell apart and was injured late. If his secondary pitches can improve in 2024, he should serve as a solid high-end No. 3 starter for fantasy managers.

Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Ryan was not at his best in a Grapefruit League contest versus the Boston Red Sox on Friday. Ryan started the game and allowed two earned runs on three hits and a walk in two innings of work. He also struck out a pair. It was the first outing of the spring for the right-hander as he looks to clean up his run prevention in 2024. After working to a 3.55 ERA in 2023, Ryan posted a 4.51 mark across 29 starts in the 2023 campaign. However, he also increased his strikeout rate and lowered his walk rate, resulting in a fantastic 24.3% K-BB%, the second-best mark in baseball among the 45 pitchers who threw at least 160 innings a season ago. He remains susceptible to the long ball after posting a 31.6% ground-ball rate and 1.78 HR/9 last season but he is a rock-solid fantasy asset heading into the 2024 campaign.

Minnesota Twins pitchers Anthony DeSclafani (elbow) and Caleb Thielbar (hamstring) have been delayed in camp but are ramping up their throwing. Trainer Nick Paparesta said that both pitchers still have time to be ready for Opening Day. DeSclafani is dealing with right-elbow soreness, while Thielbar is dealing with a left-hamstring strain. DeSclafani, 33, was acquired in an offseason trade with the Mariners. It's a troubling sign he's hurt again after missing most of last year due to a flexor issue in his arm. In his 19 outings (18 starts) for the Giants in 2023, DeSclafani went 4-8 with a 4.88 ERA and 1.25 WHIP with 79 strikeouts in 99 2/3 innings. His injury in camp could make Louie Varland the favorite for Minnesota's final rotation spot to open the year.

Minnesota Twins Opening Day starter Pablo Lopez and closer Jhoan Duran were beat up in the team's 12-3 Grapefruit League loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday. In total, Twins pitchers allowed 17 hits. Lopez, who struck out two and gave up three hits in his two innings of work, surrendered a two-run homer to infielder Ramon Urias. Fantasy managers should take spring results with a grain of salt. Duran, a 26-year-old Dominican reliever, saved a career-high 27 games for the Twins in 2023 and has been excellent in his two seasons in Minnesota, sporting a 2.15 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 35 saves, 41 walks and 173 K's in 130 relief innings. He's also one of the league's hardest throwers, as he led baseball with 473 pitches thrown at or above 100 mph. Not only does Duran strike out a lot of hitters, but he also keeps the ball on the ground. He is RotoBaller's fourth-ranked fantasy closer.

Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (knee) is playing center field on Tuesday in the Grapefruit League game against the Philadelphia Phillies for the first time since Aug. 22 of 2022. He's also hitting second in the batting order. Injuries have been the story of Buxton's career to this point, despite all of power/speed talent. The 30-year-old needed surgery on his knee last October but said he's been feeling great so far this spring and plans to be the team's full-time center fielder in 2024. After making his first All-Star team in 2022, Buxton only played in 85 games last year and hit a weak .207 (63-for-304), but he also managed to club 17 home runs. Buxton still has the ability to be a league-winner if he can stay healthy, but the odds are against that since he's played in over 100 games just one in his nine seasons in the majors with the Twins.