The Twins ripped off a three-game sweep in Boston and looked like a team that had finally figured itself out, then walked into Rate Field on Monday and dropped a 3-1 dud. So the math on this trip suddenly matters again, and the guy tasked with steadying it is Joe Ryan.
Ryan's 3.02 ERA is the cleanest number on either side of this pitching matchup, but it comes with an asterisk after that early-May elbow scare that knocked him out of a Blue Jays start two batters in. The MRI came back clean and he's been back in the rotation, which is the only thing Twins fans care about right now. Sean Burke counters for Chicago coming off a 4.2-inning, two-run outing in Seattle on May 20 — fine line, just couldn't go deep.
The under-the-hood concern for the Twins is the catching room. Ryan Jeffers is staring down 6-to-8 weeks after hamate surgery, and the rotation behind Ryan is being held together with tape — Pablo Lopez, David Festa and Mick Abel are all on the shelf, with Festa now unlikely back before the All-Star break. The White Sox aren't exactly healthy themselves, with Kyle Teel's hamstring rehab going sideways into a knee sprain and Jordan Hicks heading to the IL with a lat strain over the weekend.
- Day-To-DayWalker Jenkins CF — Twins manager Jeremy Zoll said Saturday that Jenkins (shoulder) is "reporting improvements daily" and could begin light baseball activity in about a week, Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
- Day-To-DayCory Lewis SP — Twins head trainer Nick Paparesta said Thursday that Lewis (shoulder) is still a couple weeks away from throwing off a mound, Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
- Day-To-DayJulian Merryweather RP — Merryweather (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment with the Twins' rookie-level Florida Complex League affiliate Tuesday, Theodore Tollefson of ZoneCoverage.com reports.
- Day-To-DayMatt Canterino SP — Canterino (shoulder) will be with the Twins in big-league spring training but isn't expected to pitch during camp as he continues to recover from shoulder surgery, Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic reports.
- 10-Day-ILRyan Jeffers C — Jeffers needs surgery to remove a fractured left hamate bone and is expected to be sidelined 6-to-8 weeks, Aaron Gleeman of AaronGleeman.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILCole Sands RP — Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll said that Sands (forearm) played catch on consecutive days last week and is expected to spend about a month on the injured list, Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
- 15-Day-ILMick Abel SP — Abel (elbow/triceps) resumed playing light catch Wednesday, Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
- 15-Day-ILCody Laweryson RP — Laweryson (forearm) worked around a walk to deliver a scoreless inning in his rehab appearance Saturday with Triple-A St. Paul.
- Day-To-DayMason Adams RP — The White Sox announced that Adams underwent successful Tommy John surgery Wednesday, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILAustin Hays LF — Hays (calf) will play in at least two more rehab games with Triple-A Charlotte before he is evaluated for a potential return, MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILEverson Pereira RF — Pereira (pectoral) resumed throwing Monday, MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILJordan Hicks RP — Hicks was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday with a right lat strain.
- 60-Day-ILKy Bush SP — Bush (elbow) had a setback in his recovery from Tommy John surgery and is unlikely to return until the second half of the season, MLB.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILDrew Thorpe SP — Thorpe (elbow) recently underwent an appendectomy but has resumed throwing, MLB.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILKyle Teel C — Teel (hamstring) is expected to be sidelined an additional 3-to-6 weeks after suffering a sprained LCL in his right knee during a rehab game with Triple-A Charlotte on Saturday, James Fegan of SoxMachine.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILPrelander Berroa RP — Berroa is dealing with right elbow inflammation and will have his rehab stint paused, James Fegan of SoxMachine.com reports.
The market reads this one tight. Pinnacle has the Twins at -111 on the moneyline with a 7.5 total, DK pushed the total up to 8 and the spread out to 1.5. The EV numbers don't love either side — there's no edge being handed out here, just a coin flip dressed up in pinstripes.
Bottom line: if Ryan's elbow is genuinely fine and he gives Minnesota 6 innings, the Twins should be live to take this one and avoid a road series getting away from them. If he's pitching cautiously or gets pulled early, this becomes a bullpen game against a White Sox club that's 14-10 at home and just proved they can grind out a low-scoring win against this exact lineup.