Minnesota Twins ace Joe Ryan sent home for injury evaluation

Twins ace right‑hander Joe Ryan returned to Minnesota on Wednesday for a medical examination after three consecutive poor starts against the Kansas City Royals. Manager Derek Shelton said Ryan was dealing with back and glute issues, noting a drop in fastball velocity and a rise in his ERA from 2.85 to 3.65 over the last three outings. Ryan allowed five runs (four earned) in 5 1⁄3 innings in an 8‑2 loss, and his next scheduled start on Sunday at Milwaukee is uncertain. The Twins, one game behind the Cleveland Guardians, are fighting for the final American League wild‑card spot.

In the same series, the Royals defeated the Twins 2‑1 on Wednesday, with Michael Massey hitting a go‑ahead home run in the seventh inning and Noah Cameron recording nine strikeouts over eight innings. The win extended Kansas City’s strong home record at Kauffman Stadium.