Twins adjust rotation as Joe Ryan’s start shifts, setting up matchup with Shohei Ohtani

Joe Ryan’s plan to pitch in Minnesota’s rotation did not survive a brief setback this week, but the Twins kept the matchup they wanted. According to MLB’s team report, Ryan’s scheduled start was pushed back by a day after he fell ill, and the right-hander will instead make his next start against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Minnesota had been looking ahead to Ryan’s originally planned turn, which would have come on Tuesday night versus the Dodgers. The adjustment changes the timing of his return rather than the overall opponent, and it preserves one of the most compelling matchups on the schedule: Ryan vs. Shohei Ohtani.

Ryan remains the anchor of the Twins’ starting staff, and the delay adds a layer of urgency for the team in the days between starts. A day shift matters in baseball because it can affect how bullpens are used, how innings limits are managed, and how the next few matchups line up for both starters and relievers.

For the Twins, the consolation is that the league’s biggest star still appears in the crosshairs when Ryan is ready. Ohtani brings a unique combination of power and high-end at-bats, so Minnesota’s next rotation decision is not only about protecting its ace’s health. It is also about optimizing preparation for an opponent that can change games quickly, especially when a starter returns to form.

For Los Angeles, the timing creates its own storyline. The Dodgers will face Ryan in a spot where Minnesota believes the matchup gives them a strong chance to control the middle of the game, with Ohtani positioned to face a pitcher the Twins trust as a top-level workhorse.

The Twins’ challenge now is straightforward: bridge the gap between rotation turns without forcing unnecessary usage. Ryan’s pushed-back start reduces certainty for the pitching staff around him, and it heightens the importance of the team’s ability to manage relief workloads as they line up the next set of starters.

What to watch next is whether Minnesota’s rotation sequencing after Ryan’s delayed start stays stable. Even a one-day change can ripple into who pitches later in the series, but the centerpiece remains the same: Ryan’s return against the Dodgers and Ohtani as the defining matchup of the night.