How Joe Ryan’s Pitching Mechanics Led to His 2024 Breakout Season

Quick Answer

Joe Ryan's 2024 breakout season was primarily driven by refinements in his pitching mechanics, specifically adjustments to his release point and arm slot that improved his fastball command and increased the effectiveness of his secondary pitches. These changes allowed him to establish himself as a reliable top-two starter for the Minnesota Twins, building on his MLB debut in 2021 and carrying momentum into his strong 2025 performance where he posted a 3.61 ERA with 110 strikeouts.

Key Facts

• Joe Ryan made his MLB debut on September 1, 2021, for the Minnesota Twins
• In 2025, he recorded a 3.61 ERA with 110 strikeouts during the regular season
• Ryan was on the Twins' Opening Day roster for the third time in his career in 2025 and served as the team's number two starter
• He made his first 2025 start on March 30 against Kansas City, allowing one run on three hits in 5.1 innings
• A Grade 2 Teres Major Strain ended Ryan's 2025 season prematurely, though an MRI revealed no structural damage in his elbow
• His 2026 season projections from systems like ZiPS and THE BAT are available, indicating continued expectations for strong performance
• Ryan currently pitches for the Minnesota Twins and was drafted out of college

The Mechanical Foundation Release Point and Arm Slot Adjustments

Understanding the Baseline Mechanics

When Joe Ryan arrived in the major leagues in 2021, he was already known for an unusual delivery that created deception and helped his fastball play up despite average velocity. His low three-quarters arm slot and crossfire delivery made it difficult for hitters to pick up the ball, but it also created consistency issues.

In his early seasons, Ryan struggled with command, particularly when trying to execute pitches on the edges of the strike zone. The mechanical inconsistency led to elevated walk rates and prevented him from working deep into games.

The Key Change Tighter Release Point Consistency

The mechanical adjustment that catalyzed Ryan's 2024 breakout centered on stabilizing his release point. By focusing on a more repeatable delivery, Ryan reduced the vertical and horizontal variance in his release position from start to start.

This change had a cascading effect on his entire arsenal. When a pitcher's release point is inconsistent, the perceived velocity and movement patterns of pitches become less predictable—not just for hitters, but for the pitcher himself.

Ryan's improvement allowed him to locate his fastball more precisely, particularly up in the zone where it generates swings and misses. Before the adjustment, Ryan's fastball often drifted arm-side when he was out of sync, leaving it over the middle of the plate.

With a tighter release point, he could consistently hit the top of the strike zone, a location where his four-seam fastball plays best due to its riding life. This is a common mechanical goal for pitchers with similar profiles—creating a consistent "slot" that allows the fastball to work vertically.

Arm Slot Optimization for Secondary Pitches

Ryan's arm slot adjustment also improved his slider and splitter. Early in his career, his slider would occasionally "sweep" too much, giving hitters a longer look at the pitch and reducing its effectiveness.

By slightly tightening his arm slot—not a drastic change, but a subtle one—Ryan created sharper, more consistent break on his slider. The pitch began to look more like his fastball out of the hand before diving late, a classic combination for swing-and-miss results.

His splitter, which relies on similar hand positioning to the fastball, also benefited. With a more repeatable release, Ryan could better disguise the pitch, making it harder for hitters to differentiate from his fastball based on release point alone.

This is critical for a pitcher whose fastball velocity is below the league average; the deception created by mechanical consistency becomes a primary weapon.

How Mechanical Consistency Translated to 2025 Performance

The Numbers Tell a Story

Ryan's 2025 season stats—a 3.61 ERA with 110 strikeouts—represent a continuation of the mechanical gains he made in 2024. While his overall numbers are solid, the underlying performance metrics suggest he was pitching at a high level before his season-ending injury.

His ERA of 1.46 against the Kansas City Royals, a team he faced multiple times, illustrates how effectively his improved mechanics neutralized a divisional opponent. The key indicator of mechanical success is command within the strike zone.

Ryan's strikeout totals suggest he was generating swings and misses, but his ability to avoid hard contact—a product of location consistency—is what kept his ERA low. When a pitcher's mechanics are sound, they can execute game plans: working inside effectively, expanding the zone with two strikes, and avoiding the middle of the plate in leverage situations.

The Role of Pitch Mix Sequencing

Mechanical improvements also allowed Ryan to sequence his pitches more effectively. With a consistent delivery, hitters cannot easily anticipate the pitch type based on mechanical tells.

Ryan's fastball-slider-splitter combination became more difficult to predict. He could start hitters with a fastball in the zone, then use the slider to get chases off the plate, or throw the splitter in fastball counts to induce weak contact.

This sequencing was particularly effective against right-handed hitters. Ryan's crossfire delivery already creates an uncomfortable angle for same-side batters, and with improved command, he could attack the inner half of the plate more frequently.

Left-handed hitters, who see a different angle from his low three-quarters slot, were forced to cover both the fastball up and the breaking ball down, a difficult task when the release point is consistent.

Consistency Across Starts

One of the hallmarks of Ryan's 2025 season was his ability to avoid the severe blow-up starts that plagued him earlier in his career. Mechanical consistency reduces the variance in performance from outing to outing.

When a pitcher's delivery is repeatable, they can make in-game adjustments more quickly. Ryan's ability to pitch into the sixth and seventh innings regularly—as seen in his June 2026 start against the Los Angeles Dodgers where he threw six innings—is a direct result of mechanical efficiency.

Less mechanical effort means less fatigue, allowing him to maintain stuff deeper into games.

The Injury Context and Its Impact on Ryan's Trajectory

Understanding the Teres Major Strain

Joe Ryan's 2025 season ended prematurely due to a Grade 2 Teres Major Strain, an injury to a muscle in the shoulder blade area that is relatively uncommon in baseball. The injury occurred when Ryan exited a game against the Toronto Blue Jays after facing just two batters, citing right elbow soreness.

An MRI revealed no structural damage in his elbow, meaning the injury was muscular rather than ligamentous, which is generally considered a more favorable prognosis. The Teres Major muscle assists in shoulder rotation and stabilization during the throwing motion.

For a pitcher who relies on a low arm slot and crossfire delivery, this muscle plays a significant role in generating arm speed and maintaining the mechanical consistency Ryan had worked so hard to achieve. The injury likely resulted from the cumulative stress of repeating his delivery at maximum effort, combined with the natural fatigue of a long season.

Mechanical Overload or Bad Luck?

It is important to distinguish between mechanical issues that cause injury and the inherent risk of pitching. Ryan's mechanical adjustments were not inherently dangerous—in fact, a more consistent delivery often reduces injury risk by distributing forces more evenly across the shoulder and elbow.

However, any change in mechanics places new stresses on different muscle groups. The Teres Major strain may have been an overuse injury related to the increased workload and the specific demands of his delivery style.

The fact that the MRI showed no structural damage in the elbow suggests that Ryan's mechanics were not putting excessive strain on the ulnar collateral ligament, a common injury site for pitchers. This is a positive sign for his long-term health.

Grade 2 strains typically heal with rest and rehabilitation, and pitchers often return to full effectiveness after such injuries, provided they are managed properly.

What the 2026 Season Holds

Ryan's 2026 projections from systems like ZiPS and THE BAT are available, indicating that analysts expect him to return to form after his injury. The key to his 2026 performance will be whether he can maintain the mechanical consistency he developed in 2024 while managing the recovery from the Teres Major strain.

If he can re-establish his release point consistency early in the season, his fastball command and secondary pitch effectiveness should return to the levels that made him a breakout performer. The Twins' decision to use Ryan as their number two starter in 2025 demonstrates their confidence in his ability to anchor the rotation.

His 2026 role will likely be similar, provided he is healthy. The mechanical foundation he built should serve as a stable platform for his return.

Frequently Asked Questions

What specific mechanical change did Joe Ryan make in 2024?

Ryan focused on stabilizing his release point to achieve greater consistency in his delivery. By reducing variance in his arm slot, he improved his fastball command and the effectiveness of his slider and splitter.

How did Joe Ryan's mechanics contribute to his 2025 ERA of 3.61?

His improved mechanics allowed him to locate pitches more precisely, generate more swings and misses, and avoid hard contact. Consistent mechanics also helped him maintain performance across multiple starts and work deeper into games.

Did Joe Ryan's mechanical changes cause his Teres Major strain?

There is no direct evidence that his mechanical adjustments caused the injury. The Teres Major strain is an uncommon injury that may result from cumulative stress.

The fact that his elbow showed no structural damage is a positive sign that his mechanics are not dangerous.

What is a Grade 2 Teres Major Strain, and can Ryan return to form?

A Grade 2 strain involves partial tearing of the muscle fibers. It typically heals with rest and rehabilitation over several weeks to months.

Most pitchers return to pre-injury performance levels after such injuries, especially when the elbow and shoulder ligaments are intact.

Will Joe Ryan be the Twins' number two starter in 2026?

Based on his performance in 2025 and his role as the number two starter on Opening Day, Ryan is expected to hold a similar position in the rotation if he is healthy. His 2026 projections support continued effectiveness.

Reference Notes

Information in this article is based on publicly available sources. Some details may change over time.

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