In a concerning turn of events for the Minnesota Twins, starting pitcher Joe Ryan was forced to exit Sunday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays after facing only two batters. The right-hander, who has been the team's undisputed ace this season, appeared to suffer an injury during the opening frame.

Ryan started the game strong, striking out Yohendrick Piñango to begin the outing. However, after walking Kazuma Okamoto, he immediately signaled to catcher Victor Caratini and the dugout. Following a brief conference with manager Derek Shelton and an athletic trainer, Ryan left the game, leaving fans and teammates concerned.

The Twins have not yet provided details on the nature of Ryan's injury or the severity of the situation. Rookie Andrew Morris was called in from the bullpen to take over, marking his sixth appearance of the season.

This development is particularly significant for Minnesota, as Ryan (2-3, 3.76 ERA) has been the cornerstone of their rotation. The 2025 All-Star has been remarkably durable, making seven starts this season, 30 last year, and at least 23 starts in each of the previous three campaigns. With Pablo López sidelined for the season after Tommy John surgery in February, Ryan's health is critical to the Twins' postseason hopes.

Stay tuned for further updates as the team evaluates Ryan's condition and determines the next steps for their star pitcher.