Pitcher Joe Ryan and Twins agree to $6.2 million deal to avoid arbitration

Starting pitcher Joe Ryan #41 of the Minnesota Twins delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on July 20, 2025 in Denver, Colorado.
Starting pitcher Joe Ryan #41 of the Minnesota Twins delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on July 20, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. Photo credit (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

All-Star pitcher Joe Ryan and the Minnesota Twins avoided salary arbitration Monday, agreeing to a one-year contract that guarantees $6.2 million.

Ryan gets $6.1 million this year — the midpoint of the $6.35 million he asked for and the $5.85 million the Twins offered when the sides exchanged proposed salaries on Jan. 8. The deal includes a $13 million mutual option for 2027 with a $100,000 buyout.

A 29-year-old right-hander, Ryan was 13-10 with a career-best 3.42 ERA in 30 starts and one relief appearance last year, when he had a $3 million salary. He is on track to become eligible for free agency after the 2027 World Series.

Fifteen players remain scheduled for hearings before three-person panels, which run through Feb. 13 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

In the most prominent case, two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal asked for a record $32 million, while the Detroit Tigers offered the left-hander $19 million.

Featured Image Photo Credit: (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)