Ryan Returns, and Minnesota's Math Gets Simple Fast

Joe Ryan is back in the rotation, which matters more right now than his 3.88 ERA or his All-Star nod. With 22 games left and an elimination number of 19, the Twins need wins in bunches, and Ryan — when healthy — is the second-best arm on this staff behind Taj Bradley. Getting him back into a regular turn is the most straightforward thing Minnesota can do to stabilize a rotation that has been running on fumes.

The standings are not kind. The Twins sit four games back of the final wild-card spot, and the away record over the last 20 games — 2-8 — tells you how hard the road has been. There is still a path, but it requires winning most of what's left, and it requires the rotation to hold up. Bradley has been dependable all year at 12-6. Ryan healthy gives them a second anchor. Without him, the next options are Zebby Matthews at nearly a 5.00 ERA and Bailey Ober, who has been adequate but not more than that.

The bullpen picture is messier. Andrew Morris has been difficult to trust lately, and the back end of the staff has been patched together all season. A.J. Minter has been excellent since arriving, which helps. But the margin for a bad inning is thin when you're chasing four games in three weeks.

Ryan back is good news. Whether it's enough news is the question the next ten days will answer.