MINNEAPOLIS – It took about an inning, but the real Joe Ryan returned for his final start of the year on Friday night.
Ryan turned in his best start in more than two months, bringing a strange, up-and-down but certainly memorable season to a close as the Twins beat the Rangers, 10-2, at Target Field. For Ryan, who earned an All-Star spot and arguably pitched like a Cy Young candidate in the first half, closing the second half with a vintage performance brought a mixture of satisfaction and relief.
The right-hander had struggled with both health and effectiveness throughout the second half, spending time on the injured list and going nearly 12 weeks without a win. But in his final start of the year, he looked like the pitcher who carved up opponents from March through June.
“I think you're excited to win the game in the moment,” he said, “and then you're like, 'Damn, I wish this could [have been] happening over the last month or so.’ … That would have been nice to just be playing good baseball, and so I think it's tough when it's not falling where you want it. Recognize the positives, you can't just dwell on everything, but at the same time just wish I could have put it together a l...