Joe Ryan reached a major milestone last season by earning his first All-Star selection with the Minnesota Twins. He followed that momentum by avoiding arbitration this week, agreeing to a one-year, $6.2 million deal approved by President of Baseball Operations Derek Falvey.

The move quickly earned praise from around the league, including former MLB player Xavier Scruggs, who shared his thoughts on MLB Network Radio about why retaining Ryan made sense for Minnesota.

“When I look at the Central, a lot of times we, in the offseason, look at the Central and like, you know, it could be up for grabs. Like when you think about the Guardians, the Tigers. I know they still have Skubal right now, but they may not have Skubal tomorrow. And that changes the whole outlook. And so what I’m looking at.. even the Royals. We thought they were gonna be good last year, but they weren’t good. What I’m saying is, with the talent on the Twins’ roster now, I’m not just throwing that away and thinking I need to start over. All I’m saying is, the other rosters that you’re mentioning, they are not like mindblowing to where all of a sudden I’m starting over with the Twins.”

That confidence reflects how the Twins view Ryan’s value. Last season, he leaned on a deep pitching arsenal, including four-seam fastballs, curveballs, sliders, sweepers, sinkers, and split-fingered fastballs, to consistently generate strikeouts.

One of his standout performances came last April against the Los Angeles Angels, when he struck out 11 batters across seven scoreless innings. Over 31 games, Ryan finished the year with 194 strikeouts, cementing his role in the starting rotation.

With Ryan back, Minnesota can once again rely on a rotation featuring Pablo López, Bailey Ober, Taj Bradley, and others. His return provides stability at the top of the staff as the Twins look to rebound.

Retaining Ryan also aligns with the Twins’ broader roster strategy. Alongside him are key players like Byron Buxton, James Outman, Ryan Jeffers, and Royce Lewis, forming a core the team believes is still capable of competing.

Minnesota finished the 2025 season with a 70–92 record, placing fourth in the AL Central and missing the postseason for the second straight year. Rather than starting over with a full rebuild, the organization appears focused on contending within a division that remains wide open.

Ryan has been with the Twins since making his MLB debut in 2021, and his new contract reflects that long-term trust. According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the deal includes $6.1 million in 2026 and a $13 million mutual option, along with a $100,000 buyout in 2027, as reported by Spotrac.

The agreement came together after Ryan initially sought $6.35 million, while the Twins countered with $5.85 million. Both sides ultimately found common ground, successfully avoiding arbitration.

That approach stands in contrast to the situation between Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers. While Minnesota worked collaboratively with Ryan, Detroit pushed Skubal into an arbitration hearing after holding firm on a $19 million offer despite his $32 million request, fueling trade speculation.

Beyond pitching, the Twins have also continued to strengthen their roster by signing catcher and switch-hitter Victor Caratini for the upcoming season, signaling a clear intent to compete rather than rebuild.

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The Minnesota Twins are all set to use Victor Caratini as part of their team

Victor Caratini will be wearing the Minnesota Twins jersey once the new MLB season starts this year. The team signed him to a 2-year, $14 million deal this January.

Victor Caratini brings his elite skills as a switch-hitter and catcher to the Minnesota Twins. Last season, he homered to center field against Connor Brogdon of the Los Angeles Angels in the 6th inning in September. That home run helped his team, the Houston Astros, take the lead in the game 6-1. As a catcher, he ended the bottom of the 6th inning through his perfect leap to snag a hard-hit line drive from Josh Naylor during a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. In 111 games last season, he homered 12 times while batting .259.

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As a member of the Minnesota Twins, Victor Caratini may serve as a backup catcher alongside Ryan Jeffers. Moreover, Caratini can also be a backup hitter and an alternate first baseman alongside Josh Bell, Edouard Julien, Kody Clemens, and Eric Wagaman.

With both Joe Ryan and Victor Caratini on board, the only thing to see is whether the Minnesota Twins can capture the AL Central this season or not.