I had been really looking forward to it, but it fell through. Joe Ryan (29), the Minnesota Twins ace who was reported to join the United States team for the World Baseball Classic (WBC) as a replacement for Clayton Kershaw, could not hide his disappointment.
Ryan started in a spring training game against the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball on March 17, 2026 (all times Korean time) at the Riehlis Sports Complex in Fort Myers, Florida, and pitched well, allowing five hits, one walk and one run with six strikeouts over four innings. He threw a total of 68 pitches as part of his build-up ahead of the season opener.
Ryan, who canceled a scheduled start on Feb. 22 because of lower back pain, was also left off the WBC team. But it was not a complete elimination. He was named to the reserve pitching list, leaving open the possibility of appearing after the second round. Fortunately, with his back improving quickly, Ryan returned on March 11 in a spring training game against the Tampa Bay Rays and held them scoreless over three innings, allowing two hits and two walks.
Manager Mark DeRosa also said in an official interview on March 13 that Kershaw would leave after the Canada quarterfinal and that Ryan would take his place. But two days later, the pitcher who joined the U.S. team in Kershaw's place was not Ryan but reliever Jeff Hoffman of the Toronto Blue Jays. The news was disappointing to Ryan, who had hoped to pitch in the semifinals or finals.
In an interview with the Minnesota regional outlet Star Tribune on March 17, Ryan opened up about his frustration. He said he was shocked by his exclusion from the team, calling it hard to accept. I was perfectly prepared and even had a car ready to go there. I expected to go, but I was told I could not, he said, expressing deep regret.
The notification process was also disappointing. Ryan heard the news first from Minnesota manager Derek Shelton and Director General Jeremy Zoll rather than from the U.S. team. After Hoffman's addition was decided, Ryan did not hear from U.S. team officials until two days later. Twins officials were really great, Ryan said. They supported me from start to finish and really wanted me to go to the WBC. But it wasn't something we could decide.
According to MLB.com, the United States planned to use Ryan as the second pitcher after the starter in the final against Venezuela on March 18. They intended to use Ryan in a piggyback strategy with starter Nolan McLean, but the Twins wanted Ryan to start in his usual routine, considering inflammation in his lower back.
Unable to suddenly guarantee Ryan a starting role, the United States ultimately changed plans and selected reliever Hoffman. The Twins and the U.S. team disagreed on how he would be used, and Ryan's WBC appearance ultimately fell through. I don't feel insulted, Ryan said. The U.S. team must have had a plan they were preparing, but he could not hide his disappointment.
I really wanted to pitch in that game. I had been looking forward to it since DeRosa talked about the WBC in July last year. I was thrilled to be named to the WBC team during the offseason. Things went sideways a bit and it was hard, and I worked to get back to that spot, but at the last moment it felt like the ground disappeared beneath my feet, and that was tough.
A right-hander who debuted with Minnesota in 2021, Ryan has compiled 115 games over five seasons through last year (114 starts, 641 1/3 innings), with a 46-36 record, a 3.79 earned run average and 719 strikeouts. His four-seam fastball averages 93.7 mph (150.8 km/h), below the major league average, but as a three-quarter pitcher his high fastball from a low release point gives the impression of rising, which is a strength.
Last year he had a career-high season, appearing in 31 games (30 starts, 171 innings) with a 13-10 record, a 3.42 earned run average and 194 strikeouts, and was selected to his first All-Star team. As a minor leaguer, he also played for the United States at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. He started the second consolation semifinal against Korea, holding them to one run on four hits with one walk and three strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings, helping the United States to a 7-2 victory. That loss ended Korea's chances of advancing to the final.
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